


A Life of Virtue

by rsfahrudeen



Series: Song of Sabriel [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Betrayal, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Pagan Gods, Post-Season/Series 11 AU, Reapers, Slow Build Castiel/Dean Winchester, Slow Build Gabriel/Sam Winchester, Temporary Character Death, The Empty, Wayward Daughters, female vessel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-10
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-08-07 22:24:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 44
Words: 162,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7732042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rsfahrudeen/pseuds/rsfahrudeen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With an urgent need to save Sam's soul from being cast into the empty, Team Free Will searches for the keys to the abyss so they can retrieve Death from Oblivion and appease the reapers. They end up receiving help from an unexpected source.</p><p>My own season 12 :)</p><p>(Continued in The Children of Men)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place after the season 11 finale. But nothing after Amara attacking God and ripping Lucifer from Castiel in the second to last episode happened. Nobody is entirely sure what happened after that, as you'll soon see.  
> This happens between season 11 and Devil Pray.

         Sam sits upright as there's a thump against the side of the impala. He's in the passenger's seat alone. The thump was Castiel who has somehow managed to get the sleeve of his coat caught in the back driver's side window. Right in the center of the pane.

          "What the hell." he opens the door and gets out as Castiel succeeds in freeing his coat, but breaking the window in the process. "What... where..." Sam pauses as he sees the boarded up old Mexican restaurant behind them. Everything suddenly starts to feel unreal.

           "You're intact." Castiel grabs hold of his shoulders before Sam can fall, though the angel looks a bit unsteady himself.

           "What am I doing back here? Alive."

           "I am uncertain. We seem to have been returned to where we were the day the darkness was released, though not in the same condition, thankfully. Where is Dean? Or more precisely where was he?"

           "A mile or so that way. I'll..." The fuzziness slips almost into a stream of golden light. Castiel helps Sam back into the rear of the impala where he can lie down.

           "You need rest. No human has been so near the unadulterated divine in thousands of years. There is an adjustment period. I will fetch Dean. You stay here."

           "Right." Sam wearily covers his eyes with his arm. "God. He showed up, did he?" but Sam is asleep before Castiel can decide whether or not that was a rhetorical question. Is it possible he doesn't remember? the final battle sent ripples across all of existence. In fact the details are fuzzy in his own mind. Little more but a sense of loss and sorrow. Dean.

            Castiel ignores the gathering angels as they seem bewildered themselves. They're drawn to the feel of their father's blessing. Even if they wanted to hurt Sam, they couldn't. At this moment nothing in creation can. The same for himself. For a moment it seems like a consolation prize. There was a connection between Dean and the darkness. With the darkness gone, is he gone as well?

             Castiel runs. It's quicker than attempting to navigate at the moment. It took so long to even come close to the impala and the next time there might be worse consequences than being partially transposed in the window of the car. Something is just so incredibly off and he doesn't know what it is. As he nears the field he sees more of his brethren crowding around a center and hope returns. They wouldn't be drawn to nothing.

             He doesn't even have to ask them to move, or push them aside. They turn as he comes near, and step back. They look a little frightened of him. They should be able to tell that Lucifer is gone. Of course, the fact that he seems to have survived the battle when Lucifer did not is more than a reasonable cause of apprehension. He might not have. He may have just been brought back again. But even then, it's still a reason to anxious.

             He doesn't remember dying again, though. but he doesn't remember a lot. The darkness is gone but so is the light. Dead, diffused, contained, he doesn't know. Neither does it seem as important as reaching the center of his brother's attention. They part at last and he feels as if he'll drop from sheer relief at what he feels must be the most beautiful sight in all creation, Dean lying in a field of flowers, clearly alive, as he moves, but is he still Dean? Castiel is at his side in an instant, and helps turn him over to check for injury. There's nothing, no injury, no mark of any kind, no.. contamination. Just Dean. And he glows with the grace of god just as his brother does.

              "Cas?" Dean speaks his name before his eyes are even completely open. "Cas is that you?"

              "Hello, Dean." he smiles and is both pleased and surprised at the speed with which he's embraced.

              "Thank God. He's gone? Lucifer's gone?"

              "Yes, Dean."

              "You stupid son of a bitch, what the hell were you thinking?" But he's not letting go so Castiel isn't too worried about the scolding. "Don't you ever do anything like that again. We'll take out Amara some other way. Without the devil, without God, we'll find a way. We always do." He doesn't remember either.

              "We did, Dean, and with the help of both I believe." But it seems Dean's reached the limit of his endurance and is starting to loose consciousness again, just like Sam.

              "Sammy." Dean lets go of him, jerking himself back to full alertness. "Where's Sam? Where are we?" he accepts Castiel's help in getting to his feet. "What the hell?" he looks around at the gathered angels, who quickly disappear, leaving him alone with his embarrassment at the display.

              "Sam is fine. He's in the impala."

              "Did... was that a hallucination?"

              "No. I don't know what happened exactly, but we're safe. The threat is gone and none has arisen. I am unfortunately having difficulties in managing my abilities so we'll have to walk back. We're a mile from the car. I can carry you..."

              "No. No, I'm good. Just... yeah." he does accept a shoulder to lean on and makes it back to the car. "What's wrong with me?"

              "I believe we may at one point have beheld the face of god. Indirectly of course, or we'd be nothing but ash. It will take time to recover." Castiel reassures him, though he doesn't seem to find that very reassuring.

              "You 'believe'?"

               "My memory is also impaired. Though not as badly as yours it seems. I can't bring you back to the bunker and neither you nor Sam is in any condition to drive." Maybe he can call them a cab and wait with the impala until they're awake and can return. But they're likely to need assistance beyond that. It's unlikely Dean would be alright with just abandoning the car here, though.

               "No kidding." Dean sighs and stumbles over to the passenger's seat. "Wait, Cas, keys." He digs them out of his pocket and holds them out to a confused Castiel. "You're not hotwiring my car, dude."

               "I would never..." Cas starts to protest. Dean just places the keys directly into his hands. "Are you certain?" he looks over to the drivers side window which has been miraculously repaired. A gesture of apology from one of his siblings, no doubt. He sends up a grateful prayer to whoever it was.

                "What, you can trust Satan with your own damn body, but I can't trust you with my car? We both know you can drive." Dean says testily. Not exactly an issue but handing him the keys to the impala is a lot more significant than anything Castiel has to offer. "Fine. Drive. Don't drive. I don't care. we'll sleep I in the car, just take the keys in case you have to get us out of here in an emergency." He closes the door and buckles himself in as Cas reluctantly goes around to the driver's side. He momentarily stops to lift the car out of the puddle filled pothole the back wheel seems to be stuck in.

                Dean looks back at Sam who looks peaceful and at rest for once. Just sleeping. It's actually kind of sad how infrequently either of them get any decent sleep. The face of god? Even just meeting god. He can't imagine that going well. There are not a few things he'd like to say to the bastard, and probably did. Or not as he's still alive. Cas is free. He's here. And having hosted an archangel, is probably a bit worse for the wear himself. "Shit, I'm sorry, Cas. You're probably as beat as we are. let me take a quick nap and I'll just... find us the nearest motel or something."

                 "I'm fine." Cas reassures him and almost reluctantly puts the key to the ignition. While things seem to have been resolved, experience has taught him that's rarely the case for long. So it's best to head home, even if it does feel a bit like taking advantage. When he starts the car, the hum of the engine sooths Dean enough to drift into as deep and healing a slumber as Sam. He only wakes once before they reach the bunker.

                   "Dude, seriously?" he frowns as his eye, catches the speedometer. Castiel gives him a brief glance, confused at the question. "C'mon man, you're going like thirty miles an hour."

                   "Are there any adverse conditions I'm unaware of?"

                   "No. It's an empty back road and even if it was busy the speed limit is thirty five. You're crawling, man."

                   "Dean, the speed limit represents the maximum allowed speed, not the minimum required."

                   "And this doesn't feel ridiculously slow to you?"

                   "The difference between thirty miles an hour and seventy is negligible compared to my usual mode of transportation. So the answer is yes, but no more than usual." Castiel explains. though he doesn't feel the need to add that the main difference in speed would be the damage done to car and occupants in a crash. not that he expects an accident but you generally don't and his abilities are so off that he's reluctant to rely on them for healing."

                    "True enough.  Has Sam woken yet?" Dean stretches looking back at his still sleeping brother.

                    "Breifly. He thanked me for not driving like a maniac and asked me to turn the radio until we found some Adele or anyone from the twenty first century."

                    "Well thank you for turning it back off at some point. Though don't forget, the driver picks the music, so knock yourself out."

                    "Understood." There's a brief moment of silence.

                    "What kind of music do you prefer anyway? You listen to pretty much anything that's playing but I haven't noticed anything you know..." Dean's fighting sleep.

                    "I'm partial to most forms, but there were these rhythm sets from an early agricultural settlement in East Asia that particularly resonated with me. unfortunately there were no recording devices back then and the percussion instruments consisted of bones and skulls of various animals, most of which became extinct that same century due to the climate shift caused by retreating glaciers."

                    "Huh, well, that sucks. Maybe something in the club scene then?" though the winces at the idea. "How are you? You still doing okay? You don't need a break?"

                    "No. Dean."

                    "Alright." he shifts in his seat a bit, arms folded across his chest. "Wake me if you need a break. Hear me?"

                    "Yes, Dean."


	2. Home Sweet Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back at the bunker, the boys try to suss out what's going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't really care for Amara bringing back Dean's mother for what she thought he needed. I mean, what he really needs, what they all really need is a vacation to say the least.

          Dean slowly opens his eyes. the odd weight pressing against him demanding sleep is gone, though there's still a sense of presence. It's almost like how your skin feels after a hot day outside when you enter the shade, except it encompasses and warms his entire being. A sun kissed soul? God kissed soul? well, really more of a pat on the head than a kiss. It's a good feeling, relaxing. No wonder the archangels went nuts when it left them. Not just goodbye but withdrawal?

           As he goes to turn over he notices two things, one that he's undressed and two that he's tucked into bed so tightly it almost feels like a full bodied straight jacket. He manages to pull the covers loose and sits up. his clothes are on the floor near the door. That's right. He woke up a few times, used the head, took a shower the last time, then just plopped on the bed in nothing but a towel which is now, yes, wedged into a corner of the bed near his feet.

            On the nightstand next to him is a bucket of ice water with a few beers floating in them and an assortment of single serving pre packaged pies you'd find in most gas stations. And a noite.

            'Dean,

              I have gone to the grocery store to purchase food and a newpaper. I have left the impala and taken one from the garage, instead. There is distressingly little food in the fridge and you and Sam are both due to awaken shortly.

                                    Castiel.'

            "Alright then." Dean takes a mini boston creme and a beer and takes a bite. "Cas, you are an angel." He toasts the air and takes a swig.

            "Yes, I am." Comes the confused comment from the door way. Dean chokes on the beer mid swallow, accidentally spilling it all over himself and his pie.

             "Son of a... no! no. I got it." Dean puts a hand out as Cas brings over a hand towel. "Just..." he motions for it as he puts his beer back. "I have to take another shower. Go check on Sam. I'll meet you in the kitchen in a few."

              "Of course." Castiel places the newspaper on the nightstand and leaves, closing the door behind him.

              It's a breif shower, and almost takes longer to brush his teeth, but that's more due to his mouth feeling like he's neither brushed or eaten or drank for a week, just fermented. Plus while he's sure he'd done at least a little laundry before they left the bunker, all that's wearable are an old pair of jeans he uses for the chores involving paint and a tank top he hasn't worn on it's own since he returned from hell.

              He slips it on and stops to look in the mirror again. the hand print is long since gone, but the stop where it was doesn't actually tan anymore, or bruise very long come to think of it. he can even rub the area and everywhere but the hand print itself would be red. Knowing it's still there in some way is comforting when the night mares come. just looking at it or touching it banishes them.

              Walking around with his security blanket potentially in view isn't exactly something he feels comfortable doing. It always seemed so private. But it's this or nothing and it's not like Sam and Cas haven't seen it, even if it did show up in any way. Dean grabs all his clothes to take them back to the laundry room, snatching the newspaper on the way.

      

              "Cas." Dean hurries out to the kitchen. "This is todays paper?"

              "Yes, Dean."

               "Good morning to you, too." Sam waves a forkful of omlette at his brother. A ridiculously healthy veggie filled egg white omlette but an omlette none the less. He must be hungry.

              "Hey," Dean nods, handing him the paper "Did you see this? It's supposed to be 2016, not 2015."

              "Yeah. So what does this mean? We have to do everything all over again? I didn't see the darkness this time. And there's nothing about anything related to it either."

              "No, the darkness is gone." Castiel shakes his head. "Those who died are still dead or missing, but for some reason Existence seems to think it's october and the world has reset itself accordingly in just these past three days. My brothers are all at a loss. None of them remember the final battle between the light and the darkness."

              "I don't remember any battles between them." Sam frowns. "The last thing I'm clear about was Amara taking off with you and Lucifer."

              "What? When did this happen?" Dean straightens up.

              "After the werewolves. When I got shot." Sam frowns at Dean who's just as stunned by this. "What do you remember last?"

              "Wrestling. We met Gunner Lawless. And... he went to hell."

               "Dude, that was back in february. You lost a month more than me."

               "The final confrontation was at the end of may, i believe," Castiel frowns, "My brothers only remember as far as smiting the darkness with all of heaven's power for one last time. My last memory is Lucifer being torn from me, shredded by the darkness. I don't know how I remained. There's just this resounding sense of loss as well. The angels are shaken and lost, more so than they've ever been." The sense of obligation and conflict is so clear on his face that it pisses Dean off.

                "Well, screw them."

                "Dean..." Castiel frowns at him.

                "No, I mean it. Screw those fair weather freinds. All they've ever done is make demands on you, demanding obedience, guidance, sacrifice after sacrifice. the second you make one mistake they abandon you, reject you, hunt you, torture you, or flat out condemn you. You're not their father, you're sure as hell not some cog in heavens machine, and you're not even close to evil. You're Castiel, and you deserve to just be able to be Castiel.

                 "They sure as hell don't deserve anything more from you until they can get their heads out of their asses and treat you at least with basic decency. You're their brother and if they can't understand that, then you just leave them to figure things out on their own like you had to. You can't keep letting them do this to you, Cas. You deserve better." Dean turns to his brother who clears his throat a little at this speech. "What?"

                 "Nothing. Just, I agree, a hundred percent, completely agree with everything you just said." Sam goes back to his omlette.

                 "They aren't fair weather friends, Dean. They're my brothers. As for just being their brother.... I'm not entirely sure that's true anymore. It appears I'm... no longer a seraph." Castiel's frown grows deeper. "There's been such a fundamental change to my being that I can't even do most of what I was able to before. I've only just managed to avoid manifesting in an occupied space. I can only come within a mile radius of my destination on average, and I can't even begin to compensate for passengers. I've grown two more sets of wings and my grace... it's so thoroughly entwined with my vessel I may not be able to separate from it again. of course, I find that preferable to burning through it as Lucifer was."

                  "Cas." Sam widens his eyes. "There's nothing above Seraph but Archangels. Are you saying God made you an archangel?"

                  "Not exactly. He said he couldn't bring back Gabriel or Raphael because there wasn't time to remake them, but when Lucifer was gone, there was residual grace left inside of me. Like that which Gadreel left from his time with you. I think.. I think it combined with my own. If it's made me an archangel I'm a very, very young one and there are none left to teach me how to use my abilities. Then there's the added problem of who's grace I've been infused with."

                   There's a moment of silence at this. 

                   "Do you... think you'll be corrupted by it?" Sam asks gently.

                   "I don't know, but it wouldn't be surprising." Is the angels pessimistic response.

                   "Well, I don't believe it." Dean just dismisses the idea with out a second thought. "When you were using other angel's grace, it didn't change you. There's no reason to believe this will."

                    "It has changed me." Castiel reminds him.

                    "No, it... it just gave you a makeover or some plastic surgery, that's all. I meant changed you, Cas, what made you you, with grace without it, just... you. Do you really think God would make the same mistake twice?" Though the comment is less than reassuring.

                    "We don't even know that this isn't just what would happen with any angel possessed by an archangel or angel of higher power." Sam conjectures. "I don't even know if that was even possible to do before now. Have there been many angels in sole possession of their vessels before? If there have been maybe you can see if any were ever possessed by another angel." Castiel nods looking thoughtful.

                    "Do the angels know all this?" Dean asks cautiously. "Because if so, you're kind of vulnerable at the moment and I don't exactly trust them."

                    "Actually I'm significant less vulnerable. Angel blades are as ineffective as butcher knives." he picks up one from the counter and spears his own arm with it to little effect in demonstration.

                    "Jesus, Cas. Not neccessary." Dean frowns at him.

                    "And it seems I've also been blessed just as the two of you. you can't see it, but there's a glow about you, almost a halo but one illuminated by the grace of god. It's a gift, protection against magic and divine power in all it's forms. no spells can be cast against you or for you. Even active spells are nulled by your presence."

                    "That's... that's awesome." Dean's eyes widen. "Do you have any idea how easy this will make our hunts?"

                     "How does it affect monster or demonic powers?" Sam looks almost as excited as his brother.  
                     "It nullifies their abilities as well. Shifters can't shift, vampires can't abide your presence at all, and the second you come close they'll all flee. the same for all mobile supernatural creatures. It's like a beacon only they can see. Those trapped in one place such as ghosts are dispelled before you're even close enough to know they were there."

                      "That's actually a bit of a problem." Sam frown. How do you hunt something that knows your coming?

                      "I'll say. We'd just be chasing rats from one apartment to the next without ever getting rid of them. Aside from a few ghosts and stuff it means we can't do anything. Is this permanent?"

                      "It never has been before."

                      "What about hell?" Sam looks up. "If we invaded hell, what would happen?"

                       "You couldn't. You'd need to use magic to access it and you can't now. But I could. I don't know what the result would be. I could extract an innocent I suppose. Possibly, if I were ever able to gain control of my powers enough to do so. I could manually slaughter them, but nothing would keep the demons from fleeing hell and I might just end up physically overpowered since I can't do much of anything yet. Best to leave Hell alone."

                       "What about Michael?" Sam suddenly suggests. "The cage was damaged, right? Maybe you could break it open and let him out. He wouldn't need your help getting out after that, and then you'd have someone to instruct you, too."

                       "Or he'd just kill him." Dean frowns. "They're not exactly on the best of terms. I mean, come on, he molotoved him with holy fire, you're infused with Lucifer's grace, and waged a second civil war in heaven. Pretty sure he'd come out pissed as well."

                       "Actually his gratitude at being released may extend to that much. Unfortunately I did kill Raphael. He was Michael's second, his dearest most trusted companion, and undeniably his favorite brother. Upon his release the best I could hope for is a quick death."

                       " Not to mention the fact that he's gotta have a grudge against you for putting him in there in the first place, Sam. I'm pretty sure the first thing on his list would be to smite each and every one of us." Dean makes the final point. "Especially if he's as whacko as Lucifer said he was, not I'm sure that Lucifer;s the most reliable source."

                       "That may indeed be true." Castiel concedes. "And it's not as if we have to concern ourselves with extracting Adam any longer." Sam and Dean give each other slightly embarrassed looks. They keep forgetting about Adam. Not that there was anything they could do.

                       "What?"

                       "Is he.."

                       "He's in heaven. Michael managed to push his soul through the cracks of the cage once he no longer had to expend all his energy protecting him from Lucifer. It took almost everything he had. That's why he was in no condition to fight. It won't make him any less ill disposed towards us, though."

                       "No, but now we freaking owe him." Dean grumbles running his fingers back through his hair. "The grace stuff would protect us from him though, right?"

                       "Not from physical harm. He may not be able to smite you but he could still manually injure you and no one could heal you." Castiel informs them.

                       "Huh, alright then. Let;s just file freeing Michael under plan D for desperate then." Dean starts to pace. "He's all alone in there now, too. solitary's the worst. too bad we can't send him like, little angelic care packages or something at the very least."

                        "I could try that." Castiel says slowly. "I could asses the cage, assess Michael and maybe start some kind of correspondence. i'm not certain how well anything will translate to that plain of existence, but it would be worth trying."

                        The three of them stay silently in thought for a few minutes. Castiel's thoughts turn to heaven and it's needs. Dean's to Adam, and Sam's breifly to Gabriel. He'd always wondered if he was really gone for good. Or even if he was truly gone in the first place. Two wings scorched into the floor, but aside from Lucifer the Archangels had six. Injured maybe and hiding, he thought, but apparently he's truly gone.

                        "Lucifer had two wings." Sam looks back up, over to Castiel. "Larger than any one's, but If you're growing more than I don't think it's because you're becoming more like him."

                         "That is true. And they're fully formed, not growing."

                         "Do all six wings manifest in this plain?"

                         "The second and third sets rarely manifest at all in this plain and then they're generally to weak to cast a shadow. My original pair are back to their former glory though." Castiel can't help but ad.

                          "Oh?" Sam tries not to smile at the proud tone in his voice.

                          "They were incredibly damaged in the incursion to hell and only got worse from there out. It's not just vanity. Even if I can fly with them it affect manuverability a great deal. they were briefly restored upon my resurrection but they always seem to be the first casualties." He sounds so irritated.

                          "Could we? See them?" Dean asks before realizing he did. "I mean, if it's not... um.."

                          "Inappropriate?" Sam finishes innocently. Dean shoots him a look.

                          "Not at all. It's not considered very polite to reveal them without some sort of need or invitation. Showing off isn't exactly encouraged." Castiel gagues the perameters of the room. "I'll have to do this in the main hall."

                           For some reason, Sam finds it funny when Castiel pulls out a chair to stand on thought Dean doesn't seem to. At first all it is are the shadows of two full luxurious wings but the brightness increases and a second before it's too bright to see at all there's a glimpse of six brilliant onyx wings with feathers and slick and luminous as oil spills with the same rainbow sheen to them. The lower pair just pass his feet. They close their eyes quickly but it sitll takes about three minutes to get his vision back. Castiel apologizes to them both the entire time.

                            "No, but damn Cas..." Dean starts, blinking a bit. "That's..."

                            "Impressive." Sam finishes.

                             "To say the least."

 

                            "Cursed items." Sam asks over lunch.

                            "I believe those are either dampened temporarily or dispelled based on the strength of the curse. Curse boxes won't work at all, though it destroys the sigils." Castiel replies

                            "Oh shit." Dean looks up in sudden realization. "Have we just nullified every single magical artifact in the bunker just by being here?"

                            "Again it depends on the strength. Generally, benevolant magic holds up better than malevolent." Cas shakes his head.

                            "How do you know all of this anyway? How many people have been blessed like this before?" Dean takes a bite of his burger.

                            "Well, there were two notable examples. Jesus of Nazareth upon his resurrection and Gabriel. All the archangels were blessed before the fall but that faded well before the seventh day. It was Gabriel who was most frequently among mankind with it though."

                            "Wait, so he was blessed twice?" Sam frowns

                            "No, just once, but he had a habit of jumping forwards in time to complete his messenger assignments early." Castiel explains, though the explanation itself just raises more questions.

                            "I thought that sort of thing required an obscene amount of power."

                            "It did. There was a slow period after the last batch of fledgelings learned to fly and left the garden, and before the oceans had to be emptied of leviathan. There weren't many messages and Gabriel got... bored. The chaos was to the point where the other archangels met with God and he gave Gabriel something to do. It wasn't until much later, after he had left heaven, that there were sightings. They were confusing as the blessing that had long since faded was still around him. We were then informed of his precompleted assignments. They emphasized how important it was not to interfere and accidentally change the past. Mostly we were tasked with keeping Lucifer's angels away. But that's what happened with a majority of his messages. It wasn't until the last thousand years before advent that finding him in his missions became difficult. that may be one of the reasons there are so few ancient curses left. He was generally tasked to major metropolitan areas of the time." Castiel muses.

                            "There's not really much of anything we can do is there?" Sam frowns, both Cas and Dean try to think.

                          "No. And I think we all know what this means." Dean raises his head a look of determination in his eyes.

                           "We do?" Sam raises his eyebrows looking otherwise incredibly unenthused at whatever decision Dean's made now.

                           "I don't." Castiel concedes. "As I doubt you're referring to assisting the host to restructure."

                          "Ha, no, screw those winged dicks. It means we finally get a vacation."

                          "I'm not abandoning my family in their time of need." Castiel insists, though not as whole heartedly as he once did. Despite how seductive the entire concept of a vacation is, it doesn't erase his obligations.

                          "I'm not saying to." Dean hedges with an innocent shrug.

                          "You kind of did, Dean." Sam oh so helpfully points out.

                          "That's not what I meant." Dean shoots his brother a look. "But you know you need two things, Cas. Some kind of plan on how to help them without it all going to hell again, and practice with your new archangel mojo. And for once you can actually take the time to actually address these things and not have to do everything crammed into the last minute. I mean, c'mon guys. This is our reward! For all that crap we've gone through all these years.

                            "We can go anywhere, do anything. As long as there are plenty of wide open spaces, Cas can check in on heaven over night and come back and consult with us over chili dogs and mojitos on the boardwalk." While the excited grin on Dean's face is hard to resist, Sam and Cas give each other questioning looks. Things never work out that way. Ever. "We don't know how long this'll last and you know we won't ever get another chance like this." now these statements are easier for them to accept.

                          "I think the two of you absolutley should." Castiel finally says. "it's been a long time since you've had the chance to really spend time together."

                          "You'd better come too then, "Sam quickly says before Dean can say anything. Because if you don't there'll only be me for him to drag into every tourist trap and theme park in America."

                          "And then I'll have to listen to Sammy bitch about every single ting we do and I'll have to return the favor when he forces me to go to all those museums that only exist as tax write offs and aren't meant to actually be visited."

                           "I wouldn't make you go to them." Sam protests.

                          "No, I'd have to go to get even for your refusal to let us both enjoy the actually fun stuff."

                           "Or you could just not make me go with you in the first place if I don't feel like it." Sam suggests reasonably.

                          "You can't go to places like these alone, Sam. It's pathetic and creepy. They're called family fun parks for a reason. There's no family, there's no fun." Sam just sighs at this and turns his gaze to the ceiling. "See, Cas." Dean turns to him. "You have to come. There's no way this ends in anything but blood and tears if you don't." Castiel's half smile impresses that he's flattered but not fooled for a moment.

                           "It won't be half as much fun without you, Cas," Sam adds, helpfully.

                           "I appreciate the sentiment..." Castiel begins to demure.

                           "You know what? No." Dean cuts him off with a wave of the hand. "You want the raw truth? For better or worse, Cas, you don't just stick around for the bad times and bail the second something good is about to happen. That is not what family does. Now haul ass to heaven, tell them how it's going to be and get back here pronto so we can start planning this road trip. And you'd better have some suggestions or we are going to have problems, understand?"

                            "Yes, Dean." Castiel nods and vanishes, a small smile on his lips as he does so. Sam is barely repressing his laughter.

                            "Angels!" Dean gives an exasperated sigh, throwing his hands in the air, before glancing over to see his brother's amused grin. " What?" he demands.

                            "You do know you just quoted wedding vows in there, right?" Sam crosses his arms. "Did I miss something? Because you know, I'll be pissed if I wasn't at least invited to your wedding."

                            "What? No.." His big brother actually gets a little flustered. "I... just... shut up, Sam." he turns towards the laundry room. "And go get the road maps."

 


	3. Paradise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean Sam and Cas go on vacation. Pretty much nothing but fluff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It will take a few chapters for Gabriel to come in, but don't you worry. Our angel will arrive.

                           Sam flips through the pictures as Dean and Cas have the same argument over appropriate clothing they always have.

                          "Dude, you can't wear a trench coat to the beach. You'll look like a pervert."

                          "I fail to see the correlation, Dean. I am clearly wearing pants."

                          "Which is another problem. You can't swim in that."

                           "I can't swim regardless."

                            "You can't learn to swim in one then."

                           "I have no desire to learn to swim. And once again I see Sam is not being forced to change his attire."

                           "Well, Sam's a freak who can't be reasoned with anyway. now go put this on so we can stake out a good spot before the beach fills up." Dean shoves the buddle of clothing into Castiel's arms and pushes him into the bathroom. "C'mon Sam. We're leaving soon. Hurry up."

                           "I'm kid of tired, Dean. I think I'd just like to stay here and read and rest and sort through photos for the album today, since you insist on an actual physical one."

                          "You can do that on the beach." Dean takes an empty plastic beach basket and shoves the presorted photos and albums into it.

                         "Excuse me!"

                         "C'mon, times a wastin'." Dean puts the beer from the fridge into the ice filled cooler. "You,too, Cas. I know it doesn't take that long to get dressed." he carries the cooler out to the impala just as Castiel comes back out looking confused and decidedly underwhelmed with the outfit. Sam keeps himself from looking too amused and places his laptop and a few books in his beach basket, making sure to get the camera Dean insisted they buy. The one with the real film instead of a memory card.

                         "I don't understand why a large shirt with flowers, and short sleeves over a smaller white shirt and short pants are the required outfit for a beach. And these sandals are far inferior to those used in the Roman empire. These keep falling off when I try to walk in them." he looks down at the flip flops.

                          "Looking good, Cas." Dean comes back in and tosses him a bottle. "Don't forget sunscreen."

                          "Sunscreen." Cas repeats

                          "Lotion you run on your skin that protects you from the suns rays."

                          "My previous outfit provided more than sufficient protection from the sun if any was needed at all."

                         "Humor me, Cas. It's part of the beach going experience." And out he goes again with the beach towels and umbrella.

                          "I still don't understand why he insists on constantly changing my outfits to something similar to his own."

                          "Well, whatever makes him happy, right?" Sam grins.

                          "I don't understand why this makes him happy." Cas scowls. Sam just smiles and shrugs.

                          "The heart wants what it wants." he stretches. he's been spoiled by the bunker. Now these cheap hotel beds make him stiff and achey. Though of course he is getting older. Sam puts his sneakers on, looking back as there's a thud against the wall. Cas is leaning against it taking off the sandals.

                          "I'm wearing my own shoes." he goes back into the bathroom.

                          "You ready?" Dean pops back in.

                          "What about breakfast?"

                          "We'll go to a drive through. You can get a parfait thing or an oatmeal. That's healthy, right?"

                          "Fine." Sam sighs and writes a note for the maid to change the sheets. The air conditioner must be going off at night because he's been sweating something awful. It's kind of ridiculous.

                          "You get to pick the restaurant for dinner. Okay, sammy?"

                          "Alright."

                          "Where's Cas?"

                          "I'm putting my shoes back on." Castiel says almost warningly. Sam smacks Dean's arm before he can say anything stupid, for good measure.

                          "Okay, fine. But don't come crying to me when they're filled with sand." Dean grabs Sam's basket and takes it out to the car.

                          "Sand has never made me cry." Comes the bristling reply as Cas follows him. When he and Sam are outside they see Dean tying the beach umbrella and chairs to the roof.

                            "I still think this whole road trip is more of a mini van kind of thing." Sam's comment earns him a sharp look from his brother.

                           "Alright, so who's driving, who's shotgun and who's in back today?" Dean asks though it's usually the same thing.

                            "I'm in back." Sam quickly goes in the back, putting the cooler on the floor so he can stretch out his legs.

                            "I don't know where we're going." Cas heads to the passengers side.

                            "Alright. Everyone have anything? We're not coming back til this evening."

                            "Yes, Dad." Sam gets a towel in the face for this comment.

 

                          Sam jogs along the shore, watching everyone play and swim and splash at the main beach. Even from here he can see Dean and Castiel building their gigantic sand castle. He pauses for breath and takes out the camera, zooming in on them. You have to admit it's kind of adorable. Neither of the boys got much of a chance to be children, but Sam wasn't forced to be an adult quite as quickly. Castiel was apparently fighting wars when he was a child. So it's nice to see them get a chance to do something like this. Though mostly it's the almost matching outfits and ridiculous straw hats that really make the picture.  He was that close to talking Dean into putting zinc oxide on, too.  
                          Sam glances down at his exercise watch and frowns. He's only run one mile, but he feels as if he's run five. What's more his stats look like he's run five miles as well. He's getting soft. When they get back to the bunker he'll really have to ramp up the workout. or even just push it a little more right now.

                         There's no reason he shouldn't be able to go another mile at least, even if he is tired. He shouldn't be tired either. He's finally been getting a decent nights sleep, and napping even. Though since he's still so tired he might just be over doing it. Too much sleep can make you tired as well, though eight hours a day can't be too much. Or is it more? Halfway through the mile, he stumbles and bumps into another jogger.

                          "I am so sorry." he apologizes to one of the million busty blondes on the California coast.

                          "No biggie," She smiles. "I'm Taffy."

                          "Hi... Taffy. I'm Sam." he brushes his hair back out of his face with one hand as the breeze picks up.

                          "Hi, Sam. Haven't seen you here before." The way she looks him over indicates that she would definitely have noticed and invites more conversation. Why not? 

                          "Just visiting, I guess. We got some unexpected time off so the family's going on kind of a cross country road trip."

                          "The family?" She sounds dissappointed.

                          "No, I mean, just me and my brother Dean, and of course Cas." He nods over to them. "That's them with the giant sand castle."

                           "Wow," she looks their way. "That is a big one. Which one's your brother and which is his husband?"

                          "Um they're... not married." Sam grins. "But Dean is the barefoot one with the smile.  Cas is the one intensely concentrating on the sand castle in the dress shoes."

                          "No girlfreind with you, then?"  

                          "Nope. I'm the unfortunate third wheel."

                          "You know, if you're interested in sight seeing, there's this lovely little lagoon just a bit back that away. It's private property, emphasis on private if you'd like to take a dip?"

                          "Sounds like fun."

 

                           "Hello." A small toddling girl walks up to Sam as he walks back down the beach towards the sand castle.

                         "Hello." He smiles as best he can, holding the tissue to his nose.

                        "You need to see a doctor." She says solemnly, an older woman rushes up and takes her hand. "Really bad."

                       "Sorry, sir." the woman apologizes, picking up the girl. "She's almost three and ridiculously fast."

                       "It's okay. And I'm okay. It's just a nose bleed, that's all." Sam explains. The girl shakes her head.

                        "Okay. Say goodbye Sarah." The woman carries her off. Sarah waves over her shoulder so Sam waves back before going back to the sand castle and lawn chairs.

                        "I've gotta say, guys. This is probably the greatest sand castle I've ever seen." he comments. Dean gives a proud smile.

                        "It's what, Solomon's palace?" Dean looks over to Castiel who's comparing colors of sea glass.

                       "Not exactly. It's one of the rejected blue prints for it. And a massively simplified version at that. More practical, less ostentatious. His wisdom seemed to feed into a certain arrogance. Not that his father was very humble in the end either. Maybe it's more situational or inherent. I need more of these." Castiel holds up light green and dark blue peices.

                        "That's great, but I need a break." Dean plops down on the middle lawn chair and takes a light beer out of the cooler.

                        "You should rest then. I will gather these and return. Sam..." Castiel looks back at him and frowns. "You're injured."

                        "No. Just a nose bleed. I think it's stopped now." he checks.

                        "I see. Would you care to search for water smoothed glass with me?

                        "I'd love to but I need to rest a bit myself. I'll join you in a few, though. " Sam takes the chair nearest the castle.

                        "Thought you were busy." Dean gives him a knowing grin. Sam just gives him a look.

                        "That reminds me, Cas. It's your turn." Sam tosses him the camera. "There's still half a roll."

                        "I will take eighteen pictures before I return." Cas nods, accepting the 'assignment'

                        "Here." Dean empties out one of the woven baskets and hand it to him. "Happy hunting." The angel in the straw hat and hawaiian shirt nods and slowly approaches the shoreline. He pauses once to take a picture of something Sam's fairly certain he won't understand why he took a picture of. "So..." Dean turns back to his brother.

                        "So?"

                        "You met somebody hot. Wandered off."

                        "Yeah." Sam sighs laying back in the chair.

                        "Where'd you go? You're not exactly an exhibitionist." He just keeps poking though Sam clearly does not want to talk about it.

                        "There's a private lagoon a little ways over. I took a nice picture."

                        "And?"

                        "And apparently suddenly bleeding all over your partners face is a mood killer." Sam just sighs, resigning himself to it. Predictably Dean laughs his head off. "It's not that funny, Dean."

                        "Only because it happened to you and not me, Sam." he hands his younger brother a beer which is gratefully accepted. "Do you see those waves? I wish I had a surf board right now."

                        "You have never gone surfing in your life."

                         "Yeah, well, it's never too late to learn." Dean looks over at the surfers gathering where Sam was jogging.

                        "Is this going to be a repeat of the skate park because watching you nearly kill yourself doing stupid shit is not my idea of a good time."Sam goes to take a drink of his beer and stops. "Cas' either."

                         "C'mon. It wasn't that bad."

                          "You had a concussion and lost half the skin off your forearm, dean. It's only just grown back." Sam reminds him. Dean looks at the back of his right forearm and shrugs it off.

                          "Well, it's definitely not then because it's water not pavement. You can't scrape your arm on water."

                          "No, you just drown in it." Is Sam's wise ass unnecessary reply.

                          "I can swim." he reminds his little brother.

                          "No. You can survive. You can't even do a proper breast stroke."

                          "There are all sorts of way not to die in the water besides doing a proper breast stroke, Sam."

                          "And learning to surf thirty foot waves when you can barely swim in not even close to being one of them." Not that he expects Dean to listen, but a key part of being able to say I told you so is to make sure that you did tell them so.

                           "I wouldn't go straight for the big ones. Give me a little credit."

                           "You shouldn't even try on the first day. We can stay a while if you want lessons, but seriously." Sam frowns at him.  Dean just rolls his eyes and drinks his beer. 

 

                      


	4. Surfs up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean goes surfing  
> Cas meets one of his brothers,  
> Neither goes well

               Sam blinks and covers his eyes as the sun finally hits them.  He sits up and grabs a pair of sunglasses from the basket. Dean of course is gone and the cooler several beers shorter. He lazily scans the beach. Cas is over on the rocks  looking intently at what must be a tidal pool. Dean is all the way at the other end of the beach trying to talk to one of the surfer girls. Sam grins and gets up, snagging some more film. If Castiel's not taking pictures of it, then he's probably out of film.

                "Hey, Cas." Sam crouches down by the tidal pool.

                "Sam." he nods, acknowledging him breifly. "A small self contained world. Self sufficient, or at least it thinks it is. It isn't as if I haven't seen it before,but not with human eyes. I have greater control over how I can see things now, hear things, even feel things. And it's been such a long time since I've had the chance to just appreciate my father's creations."

                 "I can imagine."

                 "I wish my brothers had the same opportunities, the experiences I've had. Being an angel isn't easy, but compared to being human it's often... less. Less joy, less hatred, less love. This is all something precious to be cherished and loved. How do you teach someone to love?"

                 "I don't know, but have you thought about just sharing your experiences with them?"

                 "How so? I'm not sure they'd appreciate photography. And as enjoyable as this trip has been so far, it's only a small portion of our time together."

                 "Well, I guess just tell them what you went through, how it felt. Even what you love and what you love about it. Have them think about what they like about the world to help them relate, that sort of thing. Kind of a Humanity 101 I guess." Sam straightens up and stretches. How long did he sleep?

                 "Loving the world isn't the difficult part. Many of my brothers resent what's being done to it. "Cas continues to examine the pool, though Sam's not exactly sure what there really is to watch so intently. Nothings moving. "While they are determined to maintain heaven, and do their basic duties, they don't seem to have much regard for humanity in general anymore."

                 "Alright. Well, if they know what they love most about the world, have them find and watch a human who feels the same way. It's easier to like people who share your interests."

                 "Perhaps I suppose it would be much less uncomfortable saying what I've done and what I learned from it than telling them what to do at this point." Castiel reluctantly stands back up. "It's difficult. They keep wanting guidance, leadership, orders, especially when they're scared or confused or greiving as they are now.  but angels blindly obeying angels has been nothing short of disaster. Even under Hannah, there wasn't must room for free thought, free will. The last orders received directly from God himself were to place humanity above all his creations. Even those who choose to stay and obey as best they can are beginning to resent it. They feel unappreciated, unrequited. That they love more than they're loved."

                 "I understand how they feel." Sam stands up as well, handing Cas the film.

                 "Surely you don't think that Dean and I care less for you then you do for us. Or that we don't appreciate everything you do and have done." Castiel looks a bit distressed at the thought.

                  "No, of course not. Actually I meant in regards to angels, as a human. I never really told anyone this, but when I was young, facing the fact that there were monsters, demons, ghosts, I found comfort in stories about angels. Not lore, as there really wasn't any then, but the collective idea that there were powerful beings, manifestations of God's love out there guarding us, protecting us from the creatures of darkness. I fairly well grew out of it of course, because the monsters kept coming, but angels never did.

                  "Then my brother who always protected me, sold his soul, died, went to hell and you brought him back to me. Angels existed. It's like finding out that Santa was real. And Dean, the way he looked when he told me about you, made me believe you all were everything wonderful I'd ever heard angels to be. And then reality set in. I was nothing to any of you. Just an unwilling tool, a throw away piece and what's worse is that I was despised for the role I had no desire to play as well as my unwillingness to play it."

                  "Sam..." Cas touches his arm. The guilt he feels for his attitude back then seeps into his voice. It hurts to be reminded of his friend's ordeal and his part in it.

                  "No, it's okay." Sam smiles at him. "I know you're not the pure and perfect beings I expected you to be, and there's nothing wrong with that. It' s just, maybe if your brothers understood how much some of us really look up to all of you, revere you even, that might take some of the resentment away. C'mon, we attribute the lot of you with everything good and loving, strong and brave, everything we want to be and wish we were, and that's even after millenia of almost complete absence from you."

                  "So.. if a human calls someone an angel, it's always a term of affection."

                  "Well, yeah, generally basically it's saying that they think the person is wonderful, divine even." Sam shrugs. "Why do you ask?" But Cas is distracted, searching the beach.

                  "Where's Dean?" Sam looks back to the beach chairs at his question, before remembering.

                  "Oh, right. He's trying to flirt his way into free surfing lessons."

                  "What exactly is 'surfing'? Is it anything like skateboarding?" The worried question is almost amusing when you really think about it.

                 "Sort of, actually. But it uses waves instead of concrete and a flat board instead of one with wheels. See?" Sam points to a distant surfer outracing a curl of a large wave. When he glances back at Castiel, he's gone completely blank, just staring at the surfers. "Cas, you okay?" he asks.

                 "That seems unnecessarily dangerous."

                 "Well, yeah, but I don't... of course." Sam's eyes stop on a rather tan surfer dude looking very happy with the conversation he's having with his brother. "I've got this."  He pats Castiel's shoulder and runs off down the beach. The irritated angel watches the brothers arguing on the beach for a moment before picking up the half full basket of sea glass and returning to the sand castle. Riding on flimsy boards atop the water trying to outrun the waves before the surf consumes them. If course this is an activity which would draw the attention of Dean Winchester.

                  "Hello." he looks down as a young girl hands him a peice of sea glass. "You're very pretty."

                  "Thank you. So are you." he smiles at her.

                  "I'm Sarah."

                  "Hello, Sarah. I'm Castiel."

                  "Castiel, are you an angel?"  The question takes him by surprise.

                   "Why do you ask that?" he kneels down before her.

                   "Your wings. Why do you have so many?" She holds up three fingers on each hand, trying to mimic the spread. Castiel lifts her chin and looks deeply into the child. A nephilim. Though she's old enough to have existed when Metatron told him that waitress was the last. He likely lied. Besides, he'd never have taken the heart of a child, an infant.

                   "I was promoted." he smiles gently at her.

                   "Are you their angel?" she points back towards the brothers. "The glowy boys like you?" If she can see his wings, of course she can see the glow of the blessing as well.

                   "Yes. I am."

                   "Sam needs to go to a doctor. He's very sick."

                   "Sarah!" A young man runs up to them, one of his brethren, but one who'd left heaven during the civil war with Raphael. He stops, terrified, reaching behind his back, as Castiel straightens up to stand before him.

                    "Hi, Daddy. He's an angel, too." She smiles at him.

                    "Yes....I know. Go... go back to your mother. Please?" The last plea is directed at Castiel who nods. It hurts to think that his brother assumes he'd hurt the child, but he's done so many things he never thought he'd do. Sarah runs back over to her mother, who grabs her and another child, before running.

                     "Hello, Azaiah." Castiel greets him gently.

                     "Castiel?" The man asks bit unsure.

                     "Yes." he nods. A thousand questions run through his brother's eyes before settling on one.

                     "How did you find us?"

                      "I wasn't looking for anyone. I'm on vacation with my family." He nods over to the Winchesters.

                      "Angels don't get vacations." Is the confuses response.

                      "I've never been a very good angel."

                      "Our... our father seems to disagree." Aziah laughs a bit shakily, "Never the less, I won't let you hurt my daughter."

                      "I'm not going to. But you need to give back your vessel and return to heaven. You should not have taken his family from him or made it your own. Not this way."

                       "I have to protect them." he strengthens his resolve.

                       "They won't be in danger. I'll sheild them." Castiel attempts to reassure him, but the angels seems skeptical.

                       "Why would you do that?"

                       "Because I understand. You love them. But this is his family, not yours."

                       "No, they're mine.  There's only me. He got hurt. I was trying to save him and hide from the war, but he said yes and just died as I was entering. When I took control his soul was gone. I didn't try to get it back i confess but honestly I was too weak to afford the attention of heaven or hell that trying would have caused. He'd worried about his parents, they were old and had dementia. I took care of them and met Michele and... I couldn't leave. I knew I should have but I loved her and her daughter. I didn't mean to give her another child, but she somehow managed to survive the pregnancy. She almost didnt... It won't happen agian. We've both taken steps."

                      "We will have to discuss Sarah's fate." Castiel frowns. The stance in heaven against the existence of nephilim is still very strict but maybe something can be done. "Do you have a cell phone?" Castiel bends over to retrieve his from the basket. The other angel draws his blade and drives it down towards Castiel's back. Cas quickly turns and catches his wrist before it can pierce his skin. While it wouldn't have harmed him, it would have caused more of a scene than he already is. He twists it until the blade is released and slams the angel into the ground. "It seems I worded that poorly. I wasn't threatening your daughter."

                       "Cas! You okay?" Sam runs up to them. Castiel hands him Azaiah's weapon.

                       "Yes."  Castiel straightens up, offering his brother a hand. "We had a misunderstanding." The angel reluctantly takes it.

                       "Okay." Sam tucks the blade away, and looks around. "It's okay! It's just a game!" he waves to a group of people on the phone, possibly calling the police, and goes to try and smooth things over with the approaching life guard. Castiel takes a photograph from the bag and a pen and writes his name and cell phone number on the back.

                       "You don't trust me. I understand. But if you need assistance." Cas holds out the photograph, but drops it almost instantly, running towards the shore.

                        "Okay," Sam walks back to Azaiah. "I guess he's letting you go, but you'd better get out of here before my brother comes back. I don't think he'll be quite so forgiving."

                       "I... my blade.. it's my only weapon." he haltingly requests it back. Sam just looks at him until the man picks up the photograph and slinks away back to his family. Sam sighs and rubs his eyes. He's still tired.Still. He turns to see where Cas ran off to. He's reached the shore line and is frantically pacing back and forth along it.

                        "I can't find Dean." Castiel looks almost panicked. After a moment they spot a surfer break the surface of the water pulling an unconscious Dean with him. Of course. Castiel actually hesitates before wading into the water as deep as he can stand to help bring him to shore. 

 

Cas: When you join us at the hospital you need to see a doctor

Sam: Why?

Cas: I don't know. I was told by a small child.

Sam: Okay...

Cas: She is a nephilim. They can sometimes see things others dont.

Sam: Okay.  How's Dean?

Cas: We are not currently speaking. He's asking where you are though.

Sam: Tell him I was dealing with the police. you were attacked on a crowded beach. People took pictures. A few videos. I convinced them it was a roleplay thing. But it still held me up. Why isn't he calling or texting me himself. And why are you texting?

Cas; I'm out of minutes but have unlimited text.

Cas: Dean's phone is dead. The charger is in the impala. He asked to use mine, but since he's refused to refrain from participating in any recreational activities that could reasonably end in death I said no

Sam: Alright. I'll be there soon.

 

              "You and Dean are no longer at the hospital." Castiel's irritated voice comes clearly through as Sam answers his phone.

              "No he refused to stay. We're on our way to South Dakota. Jody wanted us to come to Alex's graduation and help with the cook out since we have a break with hunting. We'll all be going to Willie's Wet and Wild theme park after that."

               "I will meet you at Sheriff Mills." The phone hangs up before Sam can say anything else. Dean, of course, is just glaring at the road, pretending not to notice Sam glaring at him.

               "What?"

               "Anything you want to say, Dean?" Sam starts but the phone rings again. "Hello?"

               "Did you see the doctor?"

               "No, Cas. I'm fine. I really don't need to see a Doctor."

               "You're not our nanny, Cas." Dean grabs the phone from Sam and ends the call.

                "Hey!" Sam exclaims. The phone rings again but before he can take it back, Dean throws it out the car window. "What the hell? That was MY phone!"

               "I'll buy you another one."

               "Pull over. Now. Or I swear to god I'm pulling the emergency brake." Dean looks over at his thoroughly pissed off brother and pulls the car over to the side of the road.

                "Why does Cas think you need to see a doctor?" he attempts to deflect. But Sam's having none of it.

                "Dean..."

                "You have been a little off lately."

                "No. Stop. What the hell happened with you and Cas?"

                "None of your business, Sam."

                "Okay, well, pretending there's anyway that could be even remotely true, you made it my business when you threw my phone out the goddamn window." Sam waves back to what he can only assume is a now shattered mass of cell phone on the highway as several cars have passed them already. "We've been having fun. And you two just what explode? Over what?"

                 "Sam, this is the first time in my life that I've been able to do everything I've ever wanted wit no instructions, no obligations and he's..." Dean shakes his head unable to find a way to put it that would sound right.

                  "He's what? Being unreasonable? You're right, how dare he ask you not to get yourself killed by doing reckless dangerous things in the name of fun. Next think you know he'll be telling you what clothes to wear." Of course, Dean just ignores that last dig.

                  "At least I'm not doing stupid shit like turning my back on a crazed renegade angel! So I'm just supposed to have no reaction to seeing him about to be stabbed in the back? I don't think loosing my balance on a surf board is such an unreasonable response to that. Kind of hypocritical of him if you ask me."  Dean looks away. Sam just sighs and rolls his eyes. Of course.

                   "Okay, well, you two work that out, or not, just don't take it out on my things." Sam settles back. Dean hopes he's finished but that would be too good to be true. "But you know, you are still acting like Cas can just heal us of any kind of physical injury. He can't and if you don't think that makes this every day hukman danger just as frightening to him as it should be to us, you're not thinking. Besides you're a bit of an adrenaline junky, you have to admit."

                   "Adrenaline junky?"

                   "Maybe you prefer 'danger slut'?" Sam opens the door and gets out. "I'm starting to think you just really need to get laid."

                   "I'm going to pretend you didn't just call me that. Where are you going?"

                   "The back seat, my legs are killing me." He slams the door and goes in back. "You two better make up fairly soon because you know Claire and Alex are going to make it their mission to get you two back on speaking terms if you don't."

                    "Are you sure you're alright? You've been sleeping a lot lately and you're still cranky as hell." Dean looks back as Sam stretches his legs out on the back seat and leans back against the doors.  He looks as if he's going to take another nap.

                    "I just... need a vacation from this vacation, that's all."

                    "Why does Cas think you need to see a doctor?" 

                    "Ask him yourself."             

 

Cas: I'm sorry

Dean: Why are you apologizing?

Cas: I'm not trying to be your nanny. Yours or Sams.

Dean: I know Cas. I shouldn't have said that. You're family, and right or wrong being irrationally over protective is part and parcel.

Cas:...

Cas: I'm not entirely sure how to respond to that.

Dean: We both over reacted, we both overstepped. I'm sorry, too. And you don't have to wear anything anymore, either.

Cas: Thank you but for the sake of public decency laws I will retain my usual attire.

 

             "Ow!" Sam exclaims slamming sideways into the back of the front seats as Dean hits the breaks hard, before he can slam into a stopped car.  "What the hell, Dean?"          

             "Shit, you okay? Why aren't you wearing a seat belt?" Dean quickly puts the phone in the glove compartment before turning to check on Sam.

             "Yeah." he pries himself up from being half wedged into the foot space, rubbing his head. "Great." Sam look at his hand to see blood. "Where's the first aid kit?" Dean frowns as Sam presses his sleeve to the side of his head. He pulls his brother's arm back.

             "We're going to the hospital. Buckle up this time maybe?"

             "Don't slam the brakes while I'm sleeping maybe? And it looks worse than it is. I bleed kind of easily lately."

             "Oh, no, that's not troubling at all." Dean reply drips with sarcasm. "Nor is that gigantic bruise on your shoulder."

              "That one? That's days old." Sam adjust his collar back to cover it up.

              "Yes, that one. Are there more?"

              "Dean, it's nothing. I feel fine."

              "It's something, Sam. And you should have said something about it earlier." The man who just threw a phone out the window in response to someone being over protective scold him.

              "Like what? That I keep getting bruised banging into things? Or I'm tired or I'm sick of eating out or I'm so spoiled by having my own bed with a decent mattress, I get all stiff and sweaty in a motel? Going soft is not a reason to go to the hospital and interrupt pretty much the greatest vacation we've ever had.

              "It's not great if you're getting hurt, Sam, or sick."

              "Didn't you and Cas just have this argument? I believe I lost a phone over it?"

              "Yeah, and if you want a fight, I'm feeling pretty pissed right now."

              "And what? You'll beat me into critical condition just to get me admitted?" Sam challenges.

              "Don't tempt me."

 

Dean: Cas. Am taking Sam to hospital. Something wrong, but not supernatural so is prob fine. We'll be at Avara McKennan University Hospital. Please come when you can. Is prob nothing.

 

 


	5. Double edged sword

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their blessings have unexpected consequences.

                 "Cancer." Sam says slowly, glancing over at his brother, who just stands by the window, arms crossed, saying nothing.

                 "Acute myeloid Lukemia." The doctor gently clarifies.

                 "Do we know what stage?"

                 "This one doesn't have stages exactly."

                 "But it's treatable, right?" Sam asks this mostly so Dean can hear the answer. Though the expression on the doctors face is less than encouraging.

                 "There are treatments. Chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants. The survival rates are up to twenty four percent." He tries to make that sound optimistic but that means the fatality rate is seventy six percent.

                 "So... there's treatment. There's hope." Sam looks over to Dean who doesn't give any sign that he appreciates the distinction of little hope vs no hope.

                 "There's always hope, yes."The gentle but entirely unhelpful answer comes. "But while we can't be sure exactly, not without more tests and biopsies, this doesn't look good. With treatment I'd give you a year, two at most and that's a generous estimate. I have literature on the subject..." he offers, obviously uncomfortable. Sam wonders exactly how often he's had to do this. Probably not very.

                  "If I don't undergo treatment..." Sam begins

                  "Oh, you're getting treatment." Dean finally speaks.

                  "If I don't." Sam continues with his question anyway. "How long would I have?"

                  "Months, weeks, it's impossible to tell right now."

                  "You're getting the treatments. All of them. Every single one." Dean insists, in that my word is law voice that usually irritates Sam to no end, but now just makes him feel sorrier for his brother than he does for himself.

                   "Can I have a minute with my brother?"Dean finally speaks.

                   "Of course." The doctor gives a sad smile, which does nothing to lift the tension or erase the fact that he's obviously glad to be able to retreat from the situation.

                  "You know you're not going to die like this, right?" Dean's arms are crossed, held against himself as if he'd be throwing furniture out the window right now if they weren't wrapped so tightly around his body.

                   "I might. It's a perfectly natural way to die." Sam picks up the papers left behind. "It's how our grandmother died. Dad's mother."

                   "It can't possibly be as bad as they're saying. you... you jog, you eat so healthy I want to puke just thinking about it. You're... you don't smoke, you don't do anything. You've been healed by God and the angels so many times there can't be any corruption left in you!"

                    "Cancer's not that kind of corruption. And maybe all that is just why I didn't get it sooner. As for natural risk factors, I am male and there are genetics. It happens." Sam knows his even tone and casual manner is not helping as much as he likes, but if he keeps it together, then Dean will.

                    "This is bullshit."

                    "I'm okay with dying, Dean. Honestly." Sam's eyes glance over the side effects of chemotherapy, of bone marrow transplants. Fighting disease with poison, more days but filled with pain, discomfort, suffering. "I'd rather just spend my remaining time finishing our vacation and getting things in order. It's a hell of a gift, when you think about it. Having the time to do that."

                    "A gift? You're calling this a fucking gift?" Dean's incredulous almost to the point of outrage.

                    "When do you ever get months warning of your own death? I'd call that a gift."

                    "Okay, but those months give us time to do something about it. You can't just... give up like this. Without a fight."

                    "I'm just being realistic. We're cut off from any supernatural solution. Unless this protection wears off, cold hard facts, science is all we have to work with."

                    "I know, if we didn't have this goddamn holy radiation clinging to us." Dean starts to pace, and lifts his head as he sees Cas being escorted to the room. "Finally where the hell have you been?"

                    "I was detained by security." he explains.

                    "Sam has cancer, and he wants to just give up and die."

                    "That's not what I'm saying." Sam frowns.

                    "That's exactly what you're saying."

                    "I don't want to die, Dean, but I can't be healed. Maybe I'll get two years but that was a huge maybe in case you didn't notice. And I'd have to spend most of that time injecting myself with radiation and undergoing major surgery. If I'm going to live for any length of time, I want to actually live, not torture myself to increase an arbitrary set of numbers."

                    "It's not an arbitrary set of numbers! It's time to find a solution!"

                     "Dean we've done a lot of amazing things, but I kind of feel that curing cancer is just a bit our of our league." Sam counters.

                     "Cas," Dean turns to the silent angel, almost pleading. "Can't... is there anything..."

                     "Until the protection has left you, you can only be healed through natural means." Castiel reluctantly informs them.

                     "How do we get rid of it?"

                     "We wait. That's the only way." Castiel looks down away from the painful desperate look in Dean's eyes.

                     "How long?"

                     "The rate it appears to be diminishing so far, I'd estimate four or five years. It would have been long enough for Sam to go back to college or..." Castiel stops as he's not entirely sure what Dean would do besides hunting.

                      "Oh, well, isn't that fan-fucking-tastic." Dean resumes his pacing. "It's not enough that.. hey.. this wouldn't keep the reapers away, would it?"

                      "No. They deal with the soul, not the body. And even if it did, that wouldn't keep Sam from dying it would merely keep his soul trapped within the veil."

                      "There's got to be something. Even just normal human stuff. Experimental non magical things...."

                      "Dean..." Sam gives a sigh.

                      "It's not just about you dying, Sam. Don't forget you're not going to heaven or hell now. Those reapers are going to throw you into the empty, whatever that is. It doesn't sound good, I can tell you that much."

                      "It's oblivion." Castiel says quietly. "The absence of all, no light, no darkness, nothing. Reachable only through the abyss which has been hidden since the second day. There is no returning from nonexistence."

                       "There are worse things than nothing." Sam says quietly, as if the thought doesn't even frighten him. "And we're not... waging a war on Oblivion!"

                     "Sam..."Dean starts in his lecture voice.

                     "No! We just survived the Darkness, Dean. What else are we going to unleash on the world? What are we going to destroy? I'm find with oblivion, Dean. And I'm fine with this. I've been given peace and I'm going to take that gift and accept that gift and use it."

                     "This isn't peace! You don't even know how fucked up it is that you can call it that!"

                     "What else comes close? What do you think waits for me anywhere? Do you really think Heaven would admit me after everything?"

                     "Cas..."Dean turns to him again. As if he can argue.

                     "My bretheren do not look favorably on you, either of you. But I can't believe that.." Cas shakes his head.

                     "You can't garuntee anything."

                     "I can't."

                     "But oblivion...." Dean protests.

                     "It has it's appeal. You wouldn't be the first to feel it's pull. We lost too many brothers to it. The youngest of us. Manifested in a refusal to fly. I don't recall what led the archangels to banish the abyss or why it was even placed below the garden to begin with, but... I find it difficult to believe it to be the worst of all fates. Of course, given it is ultimately mine, I may just be unwilling."

                     "You deserve better, Sam." The pleading eyes he turns towards his brother are almost heartbreaking.

                     "I'm fine with good enough."

                     "This is not okay." Dean shakes his head, refusing to listen. It'll take more than a few weeks to make him listen, if he ever will. Sam and Cas meet each other's eyes. Castiel silently beseeching him. His eyes, say 'I know it's not fair, but I'm asking you anyway.' For Dean's sake of course.

                      "Okay." Sam covers his face. "Okay, I'll do it. I'm not going to live forever, Dean. I don't want to, but I will make a deal wiht you." It's actually a sign of progress that the words 'make a deal' make his brother look as suspicious as they do hopefull. "I'll get treatment, every one I reasonably can, as in the best options of those available to me at the time in order to keep going as long as I can. But only if you promise me that's it. If I go, you let me go. No deals, no bargains, no destroying the world. You don't bring me back this time, even if you somehow can. I don't care what happens to my soul."

                     "Sam, you can't ask me to..."

                     "Yes, I can, Dean." Sam sets his jaw and looks his brother straight into the eye. "If I'm willing to subject myself to months or years of these kind of painful invasive procedures for your sake and your sake alone, you can absolutely do this for me."

                     "And you're just asking me not to bring you back, that's it?" Dean asks the question that Sam knows he'd fucking ask.

                     "No bringing me back.  No destroying things to keep me alive and if anything you try to do for my soul even looks as if it might fuck up existence in any way, you don't do it."

                      "I can work with that."

                      "I mean it, Dean. If I think even for a minute that you won't or are going behind my back to get around this, I stop. And if I catch you breaking your word, I will end it right then and there. Do you believe me?"

                       "I believe you. But believe me, if you stop trying this deal is off. You have to fight to the bitter end or I will tear all of existence down around us. Do you believe me?"

                     "I do." Sam smiles and extends his hand.

                    "A hand shake? Really?" Dean raises an eyebrow at it.

                    "Do you want us to deal it with a kiss? Because you're really not my type."

                    "Bitch." Dean cracks a small grin as he shakes his brother's hand, almost immediately pulling him into a hug.

                    "Jerk." Sam smiles, and waves Cas over. "Kind of goes for you, too. I'm counting on you to keep him in line." Dean rolls his eyes at this.

                    "Understood."  he accepts the embrace from the brothers.

                     "Thank you. I'm going to do some more research on my treatment options. Why don't you two go for a walk, get me a blue and pink swirled slushee from the nearest gas'n'sip or something." Sam gives them each a pat on the back, and lets go. Dean just looks at him."I'm not going to die in the next few hours, Dean."

                      "Okay."Dean takes something from under his shirt and places it beneath Sam's pillow at the hospital bed. "For protection."

                      "What..."Sam lifts it up to see a large hunting dagger. "Right, in case a wild boar comes rampaging through the halls."

                      "Natural things can be deadly, too."

                      "Yes, we can be." Sam puts back the pillow, waiting until they've left to hide the knife in the air conditioner. And of course, Dean's forgotten his phone on the tray table.

 

Dean's phone: Cas, it's sam. Dean forgot his phone, Remind him I need a new one while you're out.

Cas: Of course, Sam.

Dean's phone: If you could take him somewhere to get a drink and maybe blow off some steam before coming back, I'd appreciate it. I don't want him going off and getting banned from the hospital.

Cas: Understood

Dean's phone: Oh, and that nudity joke.  Hillarious. you should do more risque humor, it's his favorite kind.

Cas: I will remember that. Thank you, Sam.

Dean's phone: anytime

 

                       Sam gives a breif grin as he carefully deletes most of the conversation from Dean's phone. But his smile fades before the phone is put back on the tray and he sits on the hospital bed.

                       "Mr. Singer." the nurse gingerly enters the room.  "Did you need something?" Sam unburies his face from his hands. "You rang." She gives a kind smile. "Your speakers are broken. It only buzzed on my end."

                        "Um, no, thank you." Sam sniffs and looks back to the remote. "I must have pressed it accidentally. I... actually, yes. Is there a chapel here?"

                        "Yes, though it's actually closed at the moment. But if you'd like a preist, we can send one in." She offers gently.

                        "No. There's no way you could let me in? I'd just really like to go before my brother gets back. It won't take long, I promise." He beseeches her with his eyes, which seems to have some effect.

                        "I'll see what I can do." She promises, meeting Sam's big soulful eyes with a pitying look of her own.

 

                    "If I thought there was even a chance of this working, I would remind you of your promise, Dean."Castiel frowns as Dean stand in the middle of an abandoned church.

                    "Noted."Dean lights the bowl of flame.

                    "Dean Winchester."They both turn, absolutely astonished at the speed of the response, as well as the fact that the summons even worked. "'Oh, I'm not summoned. I've been waiting for you to call for me." Billie the reaper stands behind them. "Brother." She nods to Castiel who averts his eyes.

                     "Sister." Castiel nods

                     "So, Sam is dying agian and it seems even God himself has decided that this should happen."Aside from a slight twitch near his eye, Dean's face is impassive. "There is no point in asking us to save him. We won't. I really shouldn't be here, but since I do love hearing you grovel." Billie sits down on the nearest intact pew, her legs crossed, and arms spread across the back.

                      "I'm not here to beg for his life. He made me promise to let him die, blackmailed me into it really. But when he does, his soul is going straight to heaven." he states this demand as if it's a simple undisputed fact.

                      "No."Is the calm simple reply just as firm and undisputed.

                      "Yes. He is and do you know why? Because if he doesn't go to heaven, I will personally hunt down and destroy the reapers involved in keeping him from it. If they're lucky." Billie just gives an amused laugh at his threat.

                       "Dean..." Castiel begins warily, but his voice is cut off.

                       "You don't think I can do it? I killed your boss." Sean snaps. Billie's smile gets very dark and cold and Castiel clutches even harder at Dean's arm until he tries unsuccessfully to shake him off, only making him change his grip to Deans shoulder.

                       "I'm sure you can." She says sweetly. "But can you kill all of us at once? Because the first of us you 'gank', will bring open season on you, your freinds, and everyone else you hold dear. All of you. Dead and thrown to the empty, every last one. Or... maybe not. Maybe you die first, and Sam... doesn't. This is what he wanted after all, peace, no more ressurections. Maybe I let him live after all. Let him suffer and waste away to almost nothing and then we'll heal him. Not entirely, just enough so that he has to go through it over and over again until we've destroyed him utterly and wasted everything you both ever cared about. Until he's not just resigned to oblivion but begging for it, despairing of ever obtaining release, and then, maybe, we'll give it to him.  Maybe. How does that sound Winchester? Good? You'd be getting what you wanted after all."

                      The absolute horror of the thought renders Dean speechless, not even able to proccess the terrifying idea enough to respond.

                      "They don't deserve a fate like this. Azrael, you know they don't." Castiel manages to speak finally.

                      "And Death did? I offered justice. An even exchange, trying to weasel out of that very deserved punishment is a seperate offense entirely. I don't understand why you would think, you of all angels could convince me otherwise." The look she gives Castiel is equally cool.

                      "You don't understand..." Dean starts.

                      "No, you don't understand. You killed our 'boss'? We loved our 'boss'. he was a father to us, one who was there, guiding us protecting us caring for us giving us purpose and meaning. You looked at him as a terror, something to be tamed or conquered. Only he knows why he indulged you the way he did. Boredom maybe? You were right to fear him, but that's not all he was. Some of you humans were even actually aware of that.

                      "Sweet death, peaceful death, gentle death, Death as a release, the comfort of the grave. Death as a kindness. We were a family and you took him from us. For what? Trying to help you? And all of mankind by keeping the darkness at bay. And now after releasing it, an action which took God himself to correct at his own expense, you come to me and threatened to murder more of my kin, my children and you think you have any right to do so?"

                      "You don't understand. Each and every one of us is willing to die, if that's what it takes to make you pay for what you've done to us."

                      "Please..." he tries again.

                      "YOUR FAMILY IS NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN MINE!" She's back to her feet, staring him down, but Dean Winchester is too stupid or stubborn to back down, or both.

                      "There must be something we can do." he insists. "Something we can do to make things right. Some way to avoid this."

                       "You can't make this right. Nothing wlll. You can't bring him back to me. Can you? No. The best you can do is accept your fate and go quietly when the time comes as your brother intends to do. I know you won't though. You're not that smart. If you call me again, even this laughable excuse of a failed summons, I'm taking your car and giving it a paint job." She gives a wink and vanishes.

                        Castiel gives a very sharp sigh of relief, but his grip on Dean's shoulder is still uncomfortably tight.

                        "Azrael?" Dean turns to him, finally prying Cas' hand off as he does so.

                        "The angel of Death. She and Raphael trained the Ritzien together and upon creation of living beings she was given to Death to be his helper, she went very willingly. the reapers are their flock, their children almost."

                        "Holy shit. I killed her husband." Dean covers his mouth with his hand.

                        "In a manner of speaking. Her bond with Raphael was just as great at one time, and she always retained a fondness for him." Castiel adds, explaining why she's not so fond of him either.

                        "Why the fuck are either of us still alive right now?"

                        "If she's taken over Death's duties completely, she'll also respect his policies. To a point."

                        "I am such an asshole." Dean closes his eyes. "This would have been nice to know before I threatened to kill her kids."

                        "She hadn't been seen since the annunciation. I had no idea she was still taking an active role. Or even still in existence. I had assumed that had she been, she would have taken Raphael's side in the war. But apparently she was merely keeping to her domain."

                         "We are so fucking screwed." Dean looks back. "She took the beer, didn't she?"

                         "Yes."


	6. Sleeping Beauty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam goes to church  
> Dean gets arrested  
> Sherrif mills saves the day  
> There's a mystery patient in the hospital

h

                "Alright." The janitor unlocks the chapel door. "I'll be done with the floor in twenty minutes or so. Then I'll be locking it up again. That enough time?"

                "Yes, thank you." Sam nods and tightens the hospital robes. He can't help but notice the murals above the altar. Three images. the center one is of the nativity, a small barn with the holy family under a hill of shepards and sheep being hailed by the angel Gabriel, backlit by the shining star. And on the right, Gabriel speaking to Mary. On the left, Gabriel silencing Zachariah. There were so many questions he'd wanted to ask him that have no chance of being answered.

                 Though thanks to Castiel's information about his deliveries a few are answered now. Like how he was part of the aesir at the same time he was delivering messages for his father. Did he really give birth to an eight legged horse? And did it affect how he felt about Mary's unexpected pregnancy, or Elizabeth's? It would explain why he was so quick to mute Zachariah. Most women who's given birth seem to have no patience for the bullshit of expectant fathers. Of course, if he was really the younger Gabriel at the time, maybe he was just a little stressed out over the growing tensions at home and a little short tempered.

                  He turns to shut the door behind him and almost laughs at the alcove beside it. A mini space with kneeling cushion set aside for 'alternative religions' Filled with shelves of buddah, small idols, Ganesha, Kali, even a plaque showing Ygdrassil, the world tree. donated by an anonymous benefactor. It must have been a hell of a donation for them to actually put it up and keep a pagan altar adjacent the chapel like this. But for this chapel, it seems especially fitting.

                  Where do angels go when they die? It's a place they can be brought back from, even if God didn't have the time then. Maybe he didn't want to return. He certainly deserved to if he did. Where do dead angels go? They don't have souls, so what's left? It's a nagging thought. One he can't answer or even understand why it's so important right now.

                   Where is God now? Where's the darkness? Thoughts of balance strike him, but aside from the oddness of these last months, nothing big or bad has happened. Life goes on. It's like not only did the world forget what happened, it wanted to forget. Trauma induced amnesia. What could be so painful? The death of God? And the darkness, since the darkness is gone as well. If god dies, where does he go? With the dead angels or dead demons? If you kill in purgatory where do they go? Do they just... respawn? And the pagan gods they kill, are they counted as monsters or are they just not existing anymore.

                   If they all go to the empty, oblivion, is that where it all ends up eventually? If you put something into nothing, is it still nothing? Is there really such a thing as nothing? The thought has such curiosity in it, such a strong pull. He can feel it now that Castiel said it. Like standing on a high place, you can't help but think about jumping. Standing on the end of the abyss,

                    He doesn't want to die. the opposite in fact. he wants to live, because now, he could really live. these identities, John Samuel Singer and Robert Dean Singer, he'd made them so long ago. A dream, touched and tweaked, perfected day after day just in case something like this blessing could happen. Freedom from hunting. he'd even sent in an application for school again at the beginning. But history this time. The history of religions to maybe find out answers to questions he'll never get to ask. A way to still be useful, at least as a resource.

                     He mostly went into law because of all the times they had to skirt the police. They'd never be able to settle without some sort of legal support. Especially Dean. They'd need a lawyer eventually and even if he wouldn't hunt with them, he could help keep them free to do it themselves. The irony of being a lawyer, an advocate, and a defense attourney at that wasn't lost on him when he learned who's vessel he was. That probably soured the profession for him more than anything.

                    He could have had a life. Love even. Could have. But now? It's just a waiting game. Waiting as hard as he can for his brother to be able to let go.

                    "So." Sam looks up at the ceiling. "I doubt you can hear me, but I don't know you can't where ever you are, whatever happened to you. But if you can, I guess, thank you. These last few months, they never could have happened without your blessing. Literally. I don't know if I'll survive this. Stranger things have happened. But whatever does, I'm okay and I'm grateful and I want you to know it.

                    "It's just... he's not ready for this, you know he's not. I don't know what to do about that. Yeah, he has Cas, but I don't think he's there yet, either, not really. I don't know what to do. Not that I expect you to tell me. There's got to be more that I can do than just die slower. Something that matters. Something good. That isn't just killing things. Which obviously I can't now, but... still.. thank you. I never thought I'd get to see them that happy for that long. Thank you for that. And thank you for my life.

                    "Please don't let me die alone." the words escape his lips despite himself. "I'd like them to be there again, I guess. If you're wherever Gabriel is give him my best. Make sure he knows he has my gratitude as well. We couldn't have done it without him." Sam gives a laugh and shakes his head. Praying to a missing presumed dead God for a dead angel. Every interaction with the divine has to have a touch of the absurd to it, it seems.

                     Oddly enough, though, he feels better. Not quite up to good, but better. he puts back the small clay horse he'd absent mindedly taken from the pagan shrine and leaves the place of worship. When he closes the chapel door behind him, a scream rips through the wing. Not a painful scream either, but one of terror. he goes towards it on instinct but the nurses are already crowding the room. The patient's fighting them, trying to rip out her IV. A few security guards brush past him to hold her down.

                     "Sir, go back to your room," one insists.

                     "What happened?"Sam demands, "Is she alright?" At the sound of his voice, the young woman pauses, a look of confusion on her face. It's long enough for them to sedate her and she sinks back down on the bed.

                     "Sir, everything is under control. Please return to your room." She ushers him back down the hall.

                      "Okay." he glances at the door. Room 13 B. It's nothing supernatural. It can't be. And he can't pull the FBI card here, so there's nothing he could do to look into really anyway.

                      "Are you lost?" The same guard asks sarcastically.

                       "Yes, actually." he confesses with a sheepish smile.

                      "What's your room number?" She sighs, when she walks him back he notices the message icon on his phone.

 

Cas: Sam. Dean set an abandoned church on fire. He has been arrested.

Cas: The police have knocked over your slushee. I will get you another when I have broken Dean out of jail.

Cas: I apologize for not preventing this. I was getting hamburgers.

Cas: He refuses to be extracted. I don't have Sheriff Mills phone number. She's not at the station.

Cas: Dean has fallen asleep. If you're asleep I will have to raise Ba'al but obviously I cannot perform a ritual at this time. Perhaps Sherrif Mills can explain to me why her police department is consorting with pagan gods and we can make some other arrangement.

 

            Sam bursts out laughing at this despite himself and makes sure to reply. Hopefully Cas hasn't done anything yet.

Sam: Bail, Cas, not Ba'al. He'll go before a judge in the morning and will have to pay money to ensure he's released and returns for trial. I'll get a hold of Jody. that won't be until morning though.

Cas: Understood. I will be there shortly with your phone and slushee.

Sam: No I'm good. Just stay with Dean until Jody arrives if you can.

Cas: If you're certain that's what you want.

Sam: I am. I'll just be sleeping anyways. Thanks, Cas.

 

               "Do you mind if I ask you something?" Sam asks as the nurse takes his blood pressure.

               "Temperature first." She sticks the thermometer in his mouth.

               "Diane! Is it true? 13-B woke up?" One of the other nurses stops at the door, bringing up the subject he intended to.

               "Yeah, can you believe it? She's not too happy, either. She's terrorrized the doctors so far, but given it was Mitchum can you blame her?"

               "I guess not."

               "Is she okay?" Sam asks as soon as the thermometer beeps.

               "You... you know her?" Both nurses look at him in amazement.

               "No, but... I heard her screaming last night. I was at the chapel when she woke up. I think."

               "I can't discuss another patients history. But I'm sure she'll be fine. The doctor should be in soon to get your consent for the biopsy." the nurse pats his arm.

               "Candy gram!" There's a knock on the door frame. Sam looks over to see Claire holding a tray of slushees and Alex with a giant bear waving one of it's paws at him. The other paw had an enormous bouquet of oddly shaped lollipops tied to them and a smiling tooth on it's shirt.

               "Shouldn't you be in school, Alex?"

               "It's saturday." She shakes her head and comes over to hand Sam the large bear. "And school ended wednesday anyways."

               "Castiel asked me to bring you these. Jody's reading your brother the riot act. I don't think she'll be letting him out of jail anytime soon." Claire hands Alex the pink smoothie, takes the blue and holds out the tray to Sam. There's a baggie with a cell phone in the fourth cupholder.

               "What happened? What made him flip his lid like that?" Alex slurps. "Aren't you guys protected now and stuff? You look fine. Tired but fine."

               "That protection is actually a bit of a double edged sword. no supernatural harm, no supernatural healing either." Sam gives the most basic summary of the situation he can.

               "So, what? Dean talked you into some stupid daredevil shit like base jumping or something and.." Claire sits down on the chair beside the bed, leaving Alex standing. Both the girls clearly expecting answers, well, better to tell them when Dean's not here to have to tiptoe around.

                "Not exactly."

 

                "Wow." Claire frowns, putting her feet up on the bed. "Now I want to burn down a church."

                "That's not funny." Alex glares at her, pushing her feet off.

                "I'm not joking." Claire snaps back. "This is grade A bullshit."

                "It's okay. Really," Sam reassures her, looking at the bear. "Where'd you get this?"

                "Gift shop downstairs." Alex informs him.

                "Do they have any more?"

                "No. sorry. I can try to find one somewhere thought." She offers. "Or just ask them to order more."

                "Our little Lexi here had a thing with the gift shop guy during her candy striping days." Claire says almost conspiratorily.

                "Candy striping?"

                 "You have to do volunteer work to graduate now, and more if you want to get in a good school. So since I didn't have to waste my time playing Miss popular this time around, or do too much studying, I signed up. That and volunteering at the suicide hotline. I actually was able to steer Claire to a few hauntings that way."

                 "You're not familiar with the patient in 13 B are you?" Sam asks, though he files away the information about the hotline for further information.

                 "Coma girl?  Yeah, some of us were pulled in to help with the muscle exercises and stuff. Apparently there's things you can do to keep the muscles from completely atrophying. It's kind of cool, actually. Why do you ask?"

                 "She woke up last night." he informs them. Alex gets the same amazed look as the nurse.

                 "You think there's something supernatural involved?" Claire perks up at this.

                 "Obviously there can't be. now, maybe a spell was in place before we arrived, but maybe not. It seems kind of coincidental to me. That she wakes right now? What do you know about her?" He looks over the bear a bit more, tooth shaped lollypops. That's cute, a little counter productive, but, still.

                  "Um, let's see." Alex frowns, thinking. "Well, she's here because of a paperwork error a few years ago no one caught until after the transfer. Her estate was chill about it, though and just said to leave her here. She doesn't have any freinds or family. Some FBI guys came to check on her after the transfer. Real ones. But they never came back. Her ID's obviously fake. Well, it's real, but there's no way that's her birth name. Gabrielle Xena Callisto? She's twenty six, that show didn't even come on until 1995."

                   "Of it's just a hillarious coincidence. Like those tupac songs." Claire protests, taking a slurp of her now empty slurpee. "Or the woman who tried to name her baby shit head."

                   "That was an urban legend, and racist in the bargain. Anyways I was kind of curious. Is she running from the mob? What? Well, probably not if she's been in a coma for like, eight years? And if no one's found or killed her yet she's probably not that vital to anyone's case." Alex conjectures.

                    "Or you know, got a witch to put her in an enchanted sleep broken when prince charming and his anti magic field here shows up in the hospital?" Claire makes a guess, that's actually close to what Sam was wondering, though not in those words.

                     "After hitting her train with a semi? I doubt it. First they thought she was brain dead, but her parents wouldn't shut off life support for another year or two. When they did she was breathing on her own. There was a problem with the monitor. Her organs were functioning and some brain waves but still, coma. Her parents died, but the estate keeps paying for it paired with a donation equal to the cost of care to keep them from trying to step in and unplug her. The nurses like to gossip among themselves." Alex explains. "Plus I was curious."

                      "Nosy." Claire mouths.

                      "And she doesn't have any family or freinds or visitors at all?" Sam frowns at the thought. What must it be like to wake after eight years to find out that you have nothing and no one left.

                      "No. Not since she's been here, except for the agents."

                      "It does seem like over kill to have a spell involved if she was in a train wreck." Claire concedes reluctantly.

                      "Maybe. But if there was one, it means whoever cast it will probably come looking for her now that she's awake. If it's a supernatural being that's not a problem so long as she's in the hospital near me. But you don't need spells or magic to take someone out."

                      "Okay, I got this." Claire stands up. "What?" She frowns at Alex and Sam. "You're not hunting; you have lukemia. Seriously. And you have college applications and scholarship stuff to finish filling out. I can shoot, I can stab. I can ask questions. Maybe not as effectively as you and Dean but you never know, she might be a lesbian."

                      "What does that have to do with questioning?" Sam frowns. Alex and Claire just grin at each other. He decides to just ignore it.

                      "So," he turns to Alex as she takes the seat. "College applications. Where are you applying?"

                      "Anywhere and everywhere. My grades are off the charts, especially this year, so a scholarship shouldn't be too hard. Claire's tolerating community college, but I don't know. There's so much to learn. I don't even know what I want to major in." Alex stirs her melting slushee.

                       "That's true."

                       "Are you sure you're okay? I mean, you've got to admit, you've kind of gotten a raw deal here."

                       "I'm okay. At least, I feel okay. And I'm not in a hurry to find out I'm really not okay, if you get me." he gives her a meaningful look.

                       "No, I guess not. She sighs and follows his eyes back to the bear. "You want to talk to coma girl, don't you."

                       "Well, I am here. I'll probably be either here or nearby for a while. So why not? I can't sort pictures for the rest of my life."

                       "Want me to make a delivery?" Alex nods to the bear, guessing his thoughts exactly.

                       "You wouldn't be offended?" he looks at her sheepishly, not that she can resist those puppy eyes any better than most people.

                       "Nah. I wanted to get you the bunny one, not the oral surgery bear which is a weird one to even have." she taps the shirt with the shiny smiling tooth. A tooth with a smile with teeth in it. Whoever decided on that design was insane. Hopefully coma girl has a sense of humor.

                        "I'll pay you back for it."

                        "Oh, here, there's a card. What do you want me to write? Sickly moose seeking terrified women for dark conversation over candlelight incantations?"

                        "Give me that." Sam holds his hand out for it. "So, the gift shop guy, huh?" Alex just makes a face and takes out her phone.

 

                        "Are you alright, Dean?" Cas asks as Sherrif Mills speaks to the judge.

                        "Oh, I'm great. Sam's dying and I'm stuck here waiting for Judge Judy. Couldn't be better."His sarcasm is unneccessary, and his sullen posture likely isn't doing him any favors with the court. Granted he's extremely hungover in the bargain. Castiel doesn't think that would help either.

                        "Alright, Jodie. I'm only doing this for you. And just once, do you understand?" The judge sighs.

                        "Thank god." Dean straightens up. an especially inappropriate exclamation given why he's here. "Am I free to go?" he asks Jody and she returns.

                        "Sit your ass down." Jody puts a hand on his shoulder as he starts to stand, but they're ordered to rise as soon as she does so.

                        "Mr. Singer." the judge speaks after a moment. "You are a very lucky man." Dean's lips just tighten at this assertion, but he doesn't say anything. "While personally, I think you're too old to be called a good kid, Sherrif Mills' word means alot around here. If anyone had gotten hurt, if that building hadn't been slated to be condemned and slated for demolition anyway, it would be a different story, but since you're taking responsibility for your actions, and you are taking responsibility." she pauses meaningfully.

                       "Yes, ma'am. your honor. It was an inappropriate expression of greif and I take full responsiblity."

                        "That's right, you will. Your guilty plea is entered and I'm sentancing you to repay the county for expenses through the repair and maintenance of it's police vehicles until each car in the garage is fully repaired. For the duration of this, you are also required to attend alcoholics anonymous a minimum of three nights a week."

                        "I'm sorry what?" He blinks, not sure he just heard what he thought he did. Alcoholics anonymous? Can they order you to do that?

                        "You were drunk when you did this at levels way past casual norms. Your brother is severely ill, I understand. But how much of the time he has left do you want to waste inside a bottle? We all have our demons, Mr. Singer. But we have our angels as well." She nods to Sherrif Mills who's standing in front of cas, suppressing a smile at this. "Maybe it's time you started listening to yours."

                         "Yes, ma'am." he forces himself to say politely, though the look on his face almost breaks Sherrif Mills composure completely. She just clears her throat and takes a long drink of water.

                         "Thank you, Vicky." She smiles.

                         "Don't make me regret this, Jody." The judge gets up and leaves the court room.

                         "AA? Fixing police cars?" Dean complains a bit ungratefully, visibly pissing Jody off.

                          "You listen to me Dean Winchester." she turns to him. "This was not some neccessary evil,a b&e to kill a ghost, grave digging, theft of a cursed object. None of that. This was you throwing a fit at the universe and vandalizing a church in my town. And that is not okay. Your brother is sick and what do you do? Stay with him or go and get drunk and destroy things? You're going to have to figure out how to deal with this without causing trouble. I am still a police officer and I am not going to let you take your anger out on my parrish. And unless you're trying to take down God himself, which please tell me that's not what you're doing..."

                          "Please don't try to kill my father. There's no possible good outcome to that." Cas' joke doesn't seem to register this time.

                          "I'm not going after God, Cas, relax." Dean snaps.

                          "C'mon. Let's finish up your paperwork, get you something to eat and you can go back to Sam. The girls are keeping him company now anyway." Jody pats his arm and leads them to the barrister.

 

                        "Oh my god, that is too adorable" Alex laughs. "Is that a sombrero?" Sam looks over at the pictures she's holding.

                        "Yup." He continues labelling the backs.

                        "Why do you have pictures of half a worm and a pebble?" Claire turns it clockwise, trying to make sense of it.

                        "Those are Castiel's. You'll have to ask him." Sam informs her, pausing for a moment as his side aches.

                        "And the underside of a mushroom?"

                        "If it's abstract, Cas took it."

                         "How did you get him to wear this stuff?" Claire picks up one of the more sensible vacation pictures. "He's like married to that trenchcoat."

                        "Come on, Claire, you know it wasn't my doing." Sam grins. Claire just gives a nod.

                        "God, Dean is just like that suburban dad from bad vacation movies forcing everyone to do stupid corny things in strange clothes and take a bazillion photographs of it all. Thank god he didn't go for slides. Please tell me you got an RV. I want to picture you guys crossing the country in sombreros in an RV." Claire pleads with him, as if that'll make history change.

                        "It would have made much more sense, but nope we were in the Impala. We lost so many beach chairs it's not even funny." Of course, the girls disagree.

                        "They haven't released you, yet?" Sherrif Mills walks into the room followed by Dean and Cas.

                        "No, I'm actually going to have to stay a few days." Sam gives a reluctant smile at the three.

                        "I thought you were supposed to be done after the biopsy." Dean frowns, walking over to kick Claire out of the sleep chair.

                        "Yeah, well, funny thing about that first biopsy. It kind of turned into an emergency splenectomy."

                        "What?"

                        "What?" the girls are just as shocked.

                        "Why the hell didn't you call me?" Dean unreasonably demands.

                        "It was kind of sudden. And you didn't have your phone." he reminds him.

                        "That's why you were asleep? You were sedated?" Claire exclaims. "I thought you were just napping."

                        "You couldn't have called Cas when you woke up?"

                        "I woke up half an hour ago maybe." Sam protests.

                        "What's a splenectomy?" Castiel frowns.

                        "They remove your spleen."

                        "But you need that, Sam."

                        "No, it's cool, apparently I have a spare."

                         "What the hell, Sam!"

                         "Excuse me." Nurse Gregory leans in the door. "You're getting a little loud in here. Some of our other patients are trying to rest. So just try to keep it down a little, okay?"

                         "Sure... Greg." Dean glances at the name tag. "Sam, can I speak to you?" he turns back to his brother. "Alone?"

                         "C'mon girls." Jody ushers Alex and Claire out the door. Alex replaces the photo before she leaves, Claire grabs a few more.

                         "Can we have a minute, Cas?" Dean just looks at Sam.

                         "Of course." he heads out with the girls.

                         "You know, Castiel, you were rocking that fanny pack." Claire comments, closing the door behind them.

                         "Sammy."Dean starts, assuming his lecture stance.

                         "No." Sam shakes his head. "You went out, got drunk, burned down a church and got arrested. You don't get to lecture me about a phone call. Now just sit down and talk to me. What the hell happened to set you off like that?"

                          "It's no good, Sam. I talked to the reapers, Billie, well, Azreal  really I guess. She's the angel of Death and Death's wife, well, widow I guess. There's no changing their minds. Killing Death? I fucked up bad and now you're going to pay for it." He sits down, burying his face in his hands.

                          "It's okay, Dean." Sam rubs his back.

                          "Husband and father, Sam. I can't make up for that. I can't bring him back. which, honestly, I would if I could. He was kind of an awesome guy. I didn't exactly plan or expect to actually kill him." He glances up at his brother.

                          "Yeah," Sam laughs humorlessly. "I mean, killing Death? How the hell was that even possible?"

                          "I know. But it doesn't make for a good apology. Hey, Billie. Sorry, I murdered your husband. I didn't mean to.  Well, I was trying to kill him but I didn't think I'd succeed."

                          "Not one of your more popular hallmark cards." Sam cracks a grin. Dean gives a half hearted chuckle and straightens up breifly before slumping down against the chair. "I can't believe you burned down a church."

                          "It was condemned. Anyways it seemed like a good idea at the time." he glances at Sam who just gives him that not buying what your selling look. "Yeah, no it didn't, but it sure as hell felt good."

                          "So what now?"

                          "Well, I have a court order to fix all the police cars in the county and attend alcoholics anonymous while I do it. and you need to stay in one place for treatment. Jody's giving you the guest room. Claire's offered me her room, but I'm good with the couch, so, what do you think?"

                           "It sounds nice honestly." Sam admits. "Plus I'm enjoying the fact that now our presence actually makes people safer."

                            "I hear that." Dean brushes his hair back with a sigh.

                            "I don't think AA's a bad idea either." Sam says cautiously. "So, try to take it seriously?"

                            "Hey, I got drunk off a six pack of beer. I think I'm doing pretty good alcohol wise lately." Dean protests. "What else am I supposed to do to relax?"

                            "Meaningless sex with hot women? Your usual?"

                           "Yeah and how do you pick up chicks in sleezy bars if you're not supposed to go to bars?" Dean points out lazily flipping through some of the photos.

                            "Dance clubs? Book circles? You could always join another chastity club. Maybe you can cross someone else off your list." Sam teases taking a few more out himself.

                            "What are the odds of that happening twice?" his brother scoffs.

                            "Dean, what are the odds of anything that has ever happened to us happening to us?"

                            "True enough." Dean holds up a photograph. "That one? Really?"

                            "I love that one." Sam goes to take it back but Dean holds it away from him. He gives him a look but it's ignored in favor of another glance at the picture.

                            "His tie is just flat up in his face, and I'm clearly screaming like an idiot." Dean tilts both his head and the picture at the same time and the same direction. "You can't even see his nose."

                           "You wanted to go on a roller coaster Mr. Afraid to take the safest form of travel alive but will do obscene acrobatics on a rickety mine cart."

                            "Where's the other one?" Dean starts to dig through the basket.

                            "The one where you look like a murderous psychopath or the one where you've grabbed Cas' arm so hard you nearly tore a seam on his trench coat?" Sam takes out two.

                           "I'm not responsible for the things I do on carnival rides." Dean protests looking at them. "That one." he points to the psychopath one though he looks at the torn seam one.

                            "Better stay away from the tunnel of love then." Sam responds to his brother's subsequent glare with his cutest smile.

                            "Yep, there it is. He's smiling." Dean holds up the seam one. "See, I told you he liked the Maelstrom."

                            "God, you are such a dumbass."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently, some people have an extra small spleen that if the main one in removed will take over for it. weird but interesting fact I learned looking it up. I'm trying to keep Sam's lukemia experience as realistic as I can.


	7. Making Freinds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ms. Callisto responds to Sam's overtures of friendship.  
> Sam blackmails Dean into going through with the AA meetings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Si adelante no vas, atrasaras  
> If you do not go forwards, you are set backwards.

             "Ma'am, wait. We can get you a wheel chair." Sam looks up as the door to his room bangs open. The woman from 13B is there, a crutch under her arm and the card from the bear in her hand.

             "Gabrielle." He greets her gently.

             "You know each other?" the nurse asks. Ms. Callisto just gives her a steady look until Sam relieves the tension with a nod and motions her inside.

             "Are... you okay?" Sam sraightens up. She looks steadily at him a few moments, her expression slightly less hostile than the one aimed at the nurse. "Ms. Callisto?"

             "Alright." She says warily. "So..." she lifts the card, still looking at him appraisingly.

             "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out or anything, I just... I thought maybe you could use some help. Um, I'm Sam. Would you like to sit down?" He moves the basket of pictures from the chair next to him.

             "Why not?" She makes her way slowly over to the sleeper chair as he pulls it forwards a little, wincing slightly as he moves. "Easy there, Sampai, don't pop any stiches on my account." She plops down and kicks up the foot rest with only one of her legs up on it, though. "A 'freind' huh?"

             "If you'd like one." he smiles gently at her. She just raises an eyebrow.

             "My freinds don't usually call me Ms. Callisto."

             "Do you prefer Gabrielle?"

             "You? You can call me.. Babe." She grins at the floor. "Think you can handle that, sample size?"

             "Sure... Babe." Sam shrugs, though it seems to amuse her to hear it. "I'm sorry about the lollypops. That was all that was available."

             "No, it's fine." She untapes one from the underside of the crutch handle and looks at it. "It's a soulless abomination of boundless sadism, but I am..." She gives a frustrated huff before speaking through clenched teeth. "Diabetic, so it's actually kind of perfect." But the sugar free candy gets tossed across the room, almost landing in the wastebasket. The look of pure fury in her eyes is concentrated on the two inches between the pail and the discarded sucker.

             "Babe?" Sam gently puts his hand over hers.  She gives him a sideways glance at this. "I know you don't know me, but..."

             "Oh, I know you alright." She extracts her absurdly tiny hand from under his gigantic one. "One of those white knights, thinking they can run in and save everyone and everything. No thanks."

              "Well, then why are you here?" He prods.

              "I don't know. Boredom. Curiosity." Babe puts her arms up behind her head. "To bask in the warm glow of your awesome beauty. Or to piss off my doctors woh think I shouldn't be moving around yet because I just got out of a years long coma yesterday. It's hard to tell."

               "You know, if you just want someone to not talk with and do nothing beside, that's fine, too." This just gets him raised eyebrows and another sideways glance.

               "And if I wanted someone to torture and torment to compensate for my own massive suffering?"

               "I offered to be your freind, not your brother." This response draws a laugh both bitter and genuine from the poor girl. "As long as I'm here, if you need anything, I'll see what I can do." Babe just rolls her eyes and frees another lollypop from the crutch, actually unwrapping this one and popping it in her mouth.

                "What are you in for, anyways? Acromegaly? Lymphogranuloma venereum? Cerebral adema? Chronic Halitosis?" He gives her a wry grin at this last one. She responds with a dimpled smile.

                "At the moment, I'm recovering from surgery."

                "Surgery?"

                "Ruptured spleen." This gets a snort of laughter from her.

                "Wow, that's horribly mundane and unromantic. I hope you at least got a sexy scar out of it."

                "Yes, because I need more scars."

                "I'll see your schrodenger's scar and raise you..." She bends over and twists something on her right leg, before plopping a very nicely manufactured prosthetic leg in Sam's lap. "One right leg." She lifts the stump onto the chair finally. It ends just above where the knee would be.

                 "Man, all I have left on the table is Acute Myeloid Lukemia." He tsks, shaking his head. This one seems to visibly shake her for a minute.

                "Good one." Babe takes back her prosthetic leg and pulls up the pant leg to reattatch it. "So, how long before that's gone, because my last card's six or so years of being trapped in a helpless broken body all alone aware of everything unable to do anything, drifting in and out of dreams, not realizing when I was finally truly awake at first because I'd been screaming in my head that way for hours."

                 "You win." He concedes, but she just makes a doubtful face at that.

                 "Impossible to say yet. But we can call it a tie until you go through chemo."

                 "Ms. Callisto, it's time for your insulin and the physical therapist is looking for you." An irritated nurse knocks on the door, a wheelchair in hand.

                 "I'm good, thanks." Babe reaches over for the remote to Sam's bed and tv. "So, how do you feel about terrible movies, Samshine?"

                 "Insulin and physical therapy are kind of important. I'll still be here when you're done." Sam takes the remote back. She just sighs and gets in the wheel chair, brushing off offers of help, though the movements are obviously incredibly laborous.

                 "Alright. Raincheck."

 

                 "How was work?" Sam looks up from his laptop as Dean and Castiel enter the room, take out bags in hand.

                 "Police officers do not take good care of their vehicles." Castiel informs him.

                 "No they do not." Dean plops one of the bags in his brother's lap. "Interesting and large dinner you wanted there. Starting a low carb diet?"

                 "Not exactly." Sam removes one of the parfaits and presses the call button.

                 "You need something, sweetie?" The nurse smiles at him.

                 "Not so much need as would really appreciate. I'm not supposed to get up yet, and I've heard she's been a bit moody this afternoon, so do you think you could take this to 13 B for me? It's low glycemic, I promise."

                  "Oh." the nurse looks a bit reluctant. "I guess. For you."

                  "You don't need to bother the staff with this." Dean grins, taking back the bags. "We got this."

                  "I'm not sure that's a good idea." Sam winces slightly at the thought. "She attacked her physical therapist with her fake leg when he told her to stop being over dramatic and you'll flirt with her and piss her off and if she has one more outburst they're transferring her to the psych ward." he tries to take the bag back.

                  "Well, now I'm just intrigued."

                  "Dean...." Sam fixes a warning glare on his brother.

                  "She doesn't want visitors." The nurse relents and holds out her hand. Dean shrugs and gives her the bag.

                  "Thank you so much." Sam smiles gratefully at her. She can't help but smile back.

                  "Anything for you, sweetie." She nods and takes the bag out of the room.

                  "Well," Dean shakes his head. "I see you're making the most of your time."

                  "Have you gone to your meeting today?" Sam asks, wiping the grin from Dean's face.

                  "No. This is pointless. I'm only doing it because I'm court ordered and what the hell can I say? The truth? Please." Dean crosses his arms.

                  "You'd rather go back to jail?"

                  "I'll just get the guy to sign off on the papers and come back. It's not a big deal. I'm not drinking anything now so what does it matter?"

                   "Dean." Cas begins. "I think it would be a good idea, and the judge did say..."

                  "She was being metaphorical." Dean cuts him off.

                  "What?" Sam asks, then just shakes his head, refusing to get drawn into another argument. "Fine. Don't go, get thrown in jail and either be locked up or on the run for the rest of my life. I'm not staying here for treatment if that happens, Dean. I'm only doing it for you in the first place."

                   "Sam..." Dean starts, but his brother just glares at him until he relents. "Fine. I'll go. But this is a private thing, so you can't come." He snaps at Castiel and storms out of the hospital room.

                   "Sam." Cas starts taking the seat next to him.

                   "I know, that was low, you don't need to tell me."

                   "Do you wish to die?" he leans over resting his arm on the bed rail.

                   "No. I don't.  But we both know this is going to happen. And do you honestly thing watching me go through chemo and bone marrow transplants would be easier on Dean than just letting things take their course?" Sam's eyes state that he doesn't. "Honestly, I'd rather just spend my last days finishing our trip."

                   "I understand. I believe Dean does as well. However I don't believe that he's accepted the fate of your soul.  He did keep his word, Sam. He didn't beg for your life. Just that your soul be brought to heaven where it belongs. He wasn't very diplomatic but I don't believe it would have made a difference." Castiel admits. Sam pushes his fingers back through his hair, letting out a breath and just thinking about this.

                    "He'd keep looking for a way even if I was already lost in oblivion, wouldn't he?" he scrunches his nose at the realization.

                    "You know he would. As would I. I simply have no idea where to begin looking for a solution. I have asked my brothers for assistance. Unfortunately the consensus is that none are willing to start another war, against the reapers this time, Not for the sake of one human soul. Especially a war doomed to failure from the start."

                    "I wouldn't ask them to." Sam reassures him, though the fact that Castiel would is kind of hearwarming. "I certainly don't expect you to ask that. But speaking of the heavenly host, how's it going up there, with them?" Because in truth he'd rather talk about anything besides this right now. And he is curious.

                    "The older angels half argue with everything I say.  Half the younger angels are angry I'm not saying more. those my age feel their opinions are equally as informed as mine despite the vast differences in our experience and tend to argue as well. All of them seem to feel that despite hunting, abandoning, torturing and trying to kill me, I should be spending a majority of my time with them and less with you and Dean, if any. The opinions are divided on whether I'm too resentful for these past actions or not resentful enough. I have no idea what I'm doing or why and even those who resent me seem to look to me for guidance, or at least a position to oppose. The lessons we've been planning don't address any of these problems." Castiel gives an exasperated sigh, looking more and more frustrated with each sentance.

                    "Well, why don't you make them optional. And have different angels lecture on different subjects. Delegate a little. Classes are easier if it's limited just to people who actually want to be there."

                     "That creates an entirely new organizational problem."

                     "Alright." Sam opens his laptop. "How about this..."

 

                    "Thank you for coming. I'm Don." the large, overly enthusiastic host shakes Dean's hand as he enters the church basement. "There's coffee and hot dogs by the corner there."

                    "Hot dogs?"

                    "It's tuesday." Don shrugs.

                    "Um, I'm here by court order?" he takes the papers out.

                    "See me at the end of the meeting."

                    "And how long do these meetings usually go?" Dean rolls them back up and puts them back in his pocket.

                    "An hour generally, a little more a little less depending on the attendees. Why? Do you have some place to be?" Don smiles at his own joke.

                    "Yeah, my dying brother's bedside." Dean replies a little shortly, though it's not Don's fault he has to be here.

                     "Don't worry. It'll go by quickly. He probably wants you to be here, doesn't he?" Don pats his shoulder as he can read the answer in Dean's face, and moves onto the next person. Dean just heads to the table.

                     "Hot dogs." He lifts the lid of the warming tray where a few dozen foil wrapped hot dogs in buns are steaming. Not completely appetizing, but free food is free food. And it's hard to go wrong with hotdogs anyways. Coffee isn't the beer he wants right now, but it's wet. And disgusting. Probably decaf.

                     "It's terrible. I know." A lovely young woman with dark blue eyes pulls out some french vanilla creamer from her purse. "You're new." she hands it to him.

                      "Actually, I'm Dean." He gives her his best smile. "And you are?"

                       "Taken." she flashes her ring. "Leave the creamer when you're done with it." She returns to the seats. Dean just shrugs and dumps creamer into his cup until it tastes like vanilla flavored crap. It's not very helpful but it improves it from terrible to drinkable.

 

                     "Ma'am. Ma'am! Slow down! And put that down, you'll hurt somebody." Sam hears a nurse outside his room say in frustration.

                     "No. Si adelante no vas, atrasaras! Vamos, Sancho!" the female voice declaims.

                     Sam looks to the hall to see a wheel chair being sped down the hall, tilted onto it's back wheels, pushed by a familiar face. Another familiar face is weilding a prosthetic leg like a lance.

                     "Whoops, we passed it." Claire slowly backs up, wheeling the laughing Babe inside. "Somebody's a little punchy this morning."

                     "Catch!" Babe tosses the leg which of course over shoots and lands on the man asleep on the sofa bed.

                     "What the hell?" Dean starts, almost falling off. "Did... did someone just throw a fake leg at me?" he picks it up off the floor, not a little bewildered. Babe nearly laughs herself off the wheelchair.

                     "Claire... you can't..." Sam starts before a nurse enters.

                     "Ms.  Novak. A word." she snaps. Claire gives a 'oops I"m caught' grin and goes out to her lecture.

                     "Shit, I have to be at the garage." Dean hands Sam the leg and starts to leave but pauses for a minute. "13 B?" he mouths points to the wheelchair. Sam gives a reluctant nod. Dean just shrugs and leaves, but not without a smirk that clearly says there's going to be a painful amount of ribbing later on.

                      "Ohhh, I feel so good." Babe sighs, just melting in her chair. "Did you know you can feel pain in a leg that doesn't even exist? I didn't. That's just fucked up, isn't it? So, baby blue eyes said you wanted to ask me something." She straightens up.

                      "She... Actually, yes. I wanted to ask you what happened. Why were you in a coma?"

                      "Oh, that. Trainwreck, complete and utter. Why?"

                      "I'm concerned you might be in danger now that you're awake. I kind of asked about you. And... what do you know about the supernatural?" This question is met with more laughter, so much so that she almost slides off the wheel chair entirely. Sam manages to catch hold of her arm before she falls.

                      "You know."  Babe pulls herself up with his arm and the railing of the bed. "You are huge. Like, I saw you from the door and wondered. Why is that grown man in a bed from the children's ward? But you're just that big. And pretty. Why do you have every color in the world in your eyes?" She grabs his face. "I really want to braid your hair. Can I braid your hair? I'd need to sit on like a million phone books just to reach. I wasn't this short before the disaster, but now I'm at least a foot shorter now. Huh? A foot? Please smile." A kind of desperate look is in her eyes for a minute before she just slumps over into his arms.

                       "Nurse!"

 

                      "She didn't seem that out of it when i went in." Claire protests. "She was just.. kind of cool actually. Crafting a macrame purse using twisted strips of paper towels as threads while singing bohemian rhapsody."

                      "How does that not imply she was reacting to medicationb?" Sam crosses his arms.

                      "I realize that it doesn't when I hear myself say it out loud.  But they gave it to her while we were playing cards. I think she like you, she kept asking about you in round about ways. I kind of got caught up in the insanity and when she asked if I wheel her over, then made a comment at tilting at windmills, she only seemed slightly buzzed, so I thought, maybe you could ask her questions better. She'd answer you better."

                      "She just started laughing at me when I tried, not that I really started the conversation well. You couldn't get anywhere with her?" Sam replies with a sigh.

                      "No. Everything is just brushed aside with a joke or quip. Honestly, what she said to you is probably the most forthright she's been with anyone. How are your stitches?"

                     "Fine." Sam lies through his teeth. They had to redo half of them, that got pulled when catching her and his stays been extended due to a mild infection. Claire tilts her head, moving in front of his line of sight.

                      "You like her." She teases.

                     "I'm worried about her." he corrects her.

                     "Because you like her."

                     "She's likeable. But I'm mainly concerned. She has no one.  No family, no friends, she's not even in a familiar city. Maybe I'm reaching by thinking there's any kind of case, but..."

                     "But you're so wrapped up in this woman's well being you're talking to me about it." Claire picks up the photo album again. "Like I'm an adult or something."

                     "You are an adult. But you're right. I shouldn't have brought you into this in the first place. Do you have your essay?" he changes the subject before she can protest.

                    "Yup." She digs into her bag and hands him the print out. "You know what the biggest tragedy of this is?"

                    "Of what? My slowly dying of cancer?" Sam takes out a pen. "Besides my death you mean?"

                    "Yes, besides the death that's not going to happen because your brother is Dean Winchester. It's that you aren't going to finish that road trip. Could you imagine you guys skiing in Aspen?"

                    "Actually, that's probably a good thing. The lack of constant danger is making Dean extra reckless recreationally. He'd probably end up breaking half his bones on a ski jump or something. I was afraid he'd started doing more and more extreme sports. I saw flyers for base jumping in his suitcase."

                    "Yikes." Claire grimaces.

                    "I know, right?" Sam goes back to the term paper and starts making marks.

                    "Keep in mind I'm just trying to get a passing grade, not join mensa. So just like basic spelling, grammer and structural issues." She peers over his shoulder.

                    "Evening, Sam." Sherrif Mills Walks in, tupperware in hand. "Thought I'd bring something homemade for your last night in the hospital. Dean and cas are picking things up from the bunker. But they should be back by tomorrow. Alex is apologizing to the volunteer coordinater about that little stunt you pulled earlier, young lady."

                     "It's not my fault. She's not a prisoner and it's not like it's easy to tell if that woman is high, insane or just bored." Claire protests getting her an incredulous look from Jody.

                    "I don't think I want you hanging around someone like that."

                    "I'm a hunter. Those are the only kinds of people I know." Claire takes out the paper plates from the bag. Sam just smiles. "Besides, Sam likes her. So there must be something there, right, Sam? Huh?" She nudges him.

                    "She's interesting." Sam clears the bed table. "And yes. I do see something worthwhile in her."

                   "How did this girl come to your attention?" Jody asks, starting to get more than a little curious herself.

                    "I was praying in the chapel and when I was done, she woke screaming from a seven or eight year coma." he realizes how odd that sounds when he says it. "I suppose I take it to mean I'm supposed to be involved with her situation somehow."

                    "If you had any other life, I'd dismiss that as an insane coincidence, but well, good enough for me. Is she pretty?" Jody teases pulling a chair over.

                    "I'm fucking gorgeous." they look back to see the aforementioned Babe at the door with a large cake in hand. "I'm leaving and since this is trying to kill me, I figure my white knight should probably attend to that. I presume you can handle this." She lifts it slightly.

                    "You can't be leaving yet." Sam protests. "You just got out of a coma less than a week ago. Honestly, I'm amazed you're this mobile."

                    "Technically, I shouldn't be alive in any way shape or form, but well, since I am." She holds the cake out for someone to take. Claire quickly gets up and does so, a bit more distracted by the fact that Ms. Callisto is wearing the smiling teeth shirt from the gigantic stuffed bear, and hospital pants.

                    "Aren't you going to be cold in that?" She asks, the small shirt only goes down halfway to her naval.

                    "It's June."

                    "Aren't you gong to be sunburned?" Claire corrects.

                    "Aw, you sweetie. I'm sorry, but you're not emotionally damaged enough for me." Babe reaches up and pats the girls head.

                    "Not what I meant at all, but if that's true, that's a little frightening." Claire responds dryly, fixing her slightly mussed hair.

                    "You have no idea. Oh, now I've frightened the puppy. I'm fine, Sam. You don't have to worry your pouty self about me, Sampaquita. Now, I'm going to go because while, no doubt, I'm the answer to everyone's prayers, I'm not in the business at the moment. Tootles ladies, n'samja." She gives a salute and picks up a few hospital bags before stiffly walking back down the hall.

                    "Wait a second." Claire chases after her.        

                    "No, but I'm not very fast right now, so you can probably catch up." And Claire does, taking her jacket off on the way.

                    "Look. Here." She hands it to her. "As a thank you for the cake. And there may or may not be a list of phone numbers and a small thing of mace in the pocket."

                    "I appreciate it, I do, but I don't need your jacket."

                    "Well, no, but see, there's kind of this bomber jacket I want and it's kind of expensive so I can't excuse buying it while I still have this one." she lies. "Plus I'm fairly sure a certain somebody wants me to give you his number, you know, just in case." Claire winks. Babe gives a lopsided grin and puts the jacket on.

                    "Alright then, but just so you can get that jacket." She looks at the large sleeves and sighs, rolling them up. "Thanks for the company, kiddo."

                    "Be safe. Call us if you're bored and want to raise hell."

                    "Sorry, chaotic nuetral." Babe gives her a smart wave and heads out the nearest emergency exit.

 

                    "Well," Claire sits back down at the hospital bed. "We're never seeing her again. Too bad. I kind of liked the idea of not being the wild one."

                    "Claire, where's your jacket?" Sherrif Mills asks. Claire just smiles and takes a paper plate.


	8. Sexy Boots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Babe don't go on a date  
> Babe receives a message

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Estas perdido? Porque el cielo a va largo camino desde aqui.  
> Are you lost? Because heaven's a long way from here. (cheesy spanish pick up line)
> 
> Kieta- shut up
> 
> Puta- slut/ prostitute
> 
> note: 'bust dial' is not a typo. If you've ever kept a touch screen phone in your bra, you know what I'm talking about.

            "Hello?" Sam answers his phone. It's not a familiar number, but it's called three times during the appointment and left a text saying ' if you don't pick up, I'm assuming you're dead and conducting a seance'

            "S'up."a kind of familiar voice replies.

            "Not much." he replies slowly. "Just leaving Sanford Hematology."

            "Who's that?" Dean looks over breifly before pulling away from the curb. Sam shrugs.

            "Who is this?"

            "What you don't remember me? I'm crushed." He;s clearly being teased now, but he still can't place her.

             "Ummm..."

              "I'll give you a hint. You prayed, I screamed, it was a hell of a night." the fact that this statemen's not what it sounds like makes Sam blush more than if it was.

             "What did she just say?" Dean looks over with an astonished yet amused grin.

             "Hi, Babe. I actually didn't expect to hear from you." He tries to ignore his brother who's mouthing 'Babe?' with an amused expression. "How did you get my number?"

             "Claire. And I got bored, figured I'd see if you got out of the hospital yet or if another organ decided to try and take you out while you were there."

             "No, I'm good, considering.  How are you? Are you doing alright?"

             "I'm fine. Like I said, bored. Yeah, back off, Chachi." she snaps suddenly.

             "I'm sorry?"

             "No, not you, Samani. Ese here think's he's god's gift when at best he's the shards of wrapping paper stuck to the tube. I'm tempted to set him on fire to see if he makes pretty colors. So anyways, there's this second run theater by the shoe store that has a choice of Second Hand Lions, Kung Pow! Enter the Fist and The Producers. It's usually dead on Monday, so we can mock the characters out loud and throw popcorn at the screen if they're still showing commercials and..."

              "Ey, chica. Estas perdido? Porque el cielo a va largo camino desde aqui." Is heard in the background.

              "Kieta, el stupido elephante." She replies disdainfully

              "Puta." Is the hostile reponse.

              "Is everything alright? Where are you?"

              "It's fine. Hold on. This might take a minute. I'll call you back." She hangs up.

              "Who the hell is that?" Dean laughs.

              "Remember the girl who hit you with the prosthetic leg?" Sam frowns at the phone wondering if he should wait or call her back. It sounded like there was trouble starting. Not that a phone call would help matters any.

              "Coma girl? I thought she was pakistani."

              "Pakistani? That's incredibly specific. Do I want to know why?" Sam attempts to deflect but his brother's having none of it.

              "Probably not. But go for it, man. Have some fun."

              "Dean, it's not like.. wait." He answers the phone before the second ring. "Hello?"

               "Alright, papi. Tell you what, you get me those boots and I will do unspeakable things to your body.  I"m in room 6 meet me in half an hour. Bring the boots."

               "What the hell?" Dean looks over breifly.

               "Oh, whoops. Sorry, Sampita, bust dial. Anyhow, movie marathon, six o'clock. Meet me at the theater. Wear something pretty."

               "Wait a minute!" Sam exclaims, but the call ends and a few redials just go straight to voicemail.

               "Did she just ask you out on a date after arranging to prostitute herself for a pair of boots?" Dean can barely keep himself from laughing at the absurdity. Sam just glares at the phone.

               "I sincerely doubt it. Did you hear her voice? That was less seductive than it was homicidal."

               "I did, actually, why do you keep putting the speaker phone one?"

               "Because you play the radio so damn loud, I have to. At least with this crappy thing. You replaced my iphone with a crappy gas station smart phone." Sam, the ungrateful brother complains.

               "Think we should stop her before she gets herself killed or worse?"

               "Yeah. I think she thinks she's bigger than she is. Let me find the hotel she's in." A few phone calls later, they head to the Microtell Inn.

               "Lovely." Dean comments at the decrepit hotel. 

               "I'm calling her again." Sam dials one last time.

               "Ahoy, ahoy."

               "Are you okay? Where are you?" Sam scans the rooms, looking for number six, but half the numbers are missing from the doors. some of the numbers beeing only a clean spot imprinted on a dirty door.

               "I'm fine. And I can see your car. You know, stalking is not love, no matter what the movies say."

               "Please tell me you didn't kill anybody." This gets a pleased laugh from her.

               "Or sleep with anybody." Dean adds loudly.

               "Tell Jeeves to go fuck himself. And the answer to both is no. See?" A picture is sent of a naked, tattooed gangster hog tied belly down on a cheap motel bed, gagged with his colors and a fresh, still bleeding 'Belieber 4 lyfe' jailhouse tattoo on his forhead. "I'm coming down. If you don't mind taking me to a new hotel."

                "Hell, yes. That's just beautiful." Dean laughs at the picture. "A little extreme for a cat call though."

                "You could have gotten hurt. What were you thinking?" Sam scolds into the phone.

                "I was thinking." They hear both from the phone and outside the car as the back door opens and a small suitcase is tossed inside. "That I was sick of this jerk harrassing me every damn day and that he needed to learn to keep his hands to himself." She awkwardly maneuvers herself into the back seat, half pulling her leg in. "So are you here to go to the movies with me or did I merely trigger your need to protect and serve?"

                "You just got out of a coma less than a month ago, and you're nowhere near this guys weight class, Babe."Dean looks back at her. "That could have gone really badly for you. You know that, right?" She just gives him a disgusted look.

                 "Work smarter, not harder, Deano. And that's Ms. Callisto to you. Though you can call me Bree if you don't charge me for gas."

                 "I'd be afraid to ask." he says, not joking as much as he'd like to be.

                 "Good boy." She pats his head, or what she can reach of it.

                  "Why don't you drop us off at the red roof inn? It's walking distance from downtown and we can head there after she's checked in." Sam doesn't look up from his phone.

                  "You sure you're both up to that? I don't mind waiting if you want me to drive you." Dean offers, glancing back at Babe, who's adjusting her boots.

                  "I'm sure. Are you okay with that, Babe?"

                  "I'm up to it. The more I walk the better I get at it." She leans forwards, resting her arms on the back of the front seat.

                  "It's no trouble, really." The over protective brother insists, irritating Sam with his vehemence.

                  "Dean..." Sam shoots him a look. Babe just rolls her eyes.

                  "We can't have hot freaky sex in an empty theater with you tagging along Rapunzel." Sam winces at her comment, but gets a reassuring pat of his own. "Just teasing big guy. But he's still not invited." Sam just sighs. He never thought she was serious, but it just provides more fodder for his brother later on.

                  "Not a problem. I have to go back to work anyways." Dean heads down the road. "I swear they're breaking these cars on purpose. I'm just glad I only have to get each car in perfect condition once. But by the end of the week, that's it. I'm done. No more police cars, no more damn meetings, just..." Dean stops as he remembers exactly what's left after that. "Just spending time with my baby brother, distraction free." he forces a smile, but his white knuckles give him away.

 

                   "I told you it was better if we sat in front." Babe brushes the popcorn off the top of Sam's head.  "Sorry about that."

                   "It's okay. Are you ready to get down now?" he asks as she stretches a little and places a hand on her stomach to steady her, making sure she doesn't fall off the back of the seat.

                   "Yup." Babe holds onto his arms and attempts to climb down to the aisle, but doesn't quite get it. "The floors are slippery. You'll have to carry me to the carpet." She drapes herself dramatically across his arms. "Holy crap, you're actually doing it." She laughs as he picks up the tiny woman.

                   "Well, you insisted on paying for the movie. Unless you let me buy us dinner it's the least I can do." He continues carrying her down out to the main hall just for the hell of it.

                   "Nah, I used all my allowable carbs and I don't generally do meat so I'd have to have either a plain salad or a stick of butter, or buttered salad, so no thanks." She brushes the offer aside.

                    "Salads aren't so bad. And you don't eat meat? Vegan or vegitarian?"

                    "Vegitarian as a general rule. The only thing that really appeals to me about meat is the fact that something had to die for me to have it. And I'm not in that kind of mood tonight."

                    "Glad to hear it."

                    "Alright, Sampson. That's enough." She pats his chest."Insulin break. I'll be right back." Sam puts her down and waits as she heads to the bathrooms. It was fun, but while the laughter was genuine, it felt like the force of her enjoyment was something almost desperate. It doesn't take too long for her to come back out.

                    "So, ready to tell me why you really called me?" he asks as they leave the theater.

                    "What, you think I didn't just want the pleasure of your company?" She glances up at him.

                    "Did you?"

                    "I don't know." She shrugs. He gives her a skeptical look. "Honestly, I don't know. Really, I just... kept wondering if you were alright. How you were doing. It's frustrating and annoying as hell. I mean, I have plenty of occupy my mind. I'm alone, weak, broke, lost, angry as hell, I have one and a half legs, I'm fucking diabetic and I'm menstruating. Do you have any idea what that's like?" Babe grouses.

                    "Not the last three, but the rest of it, absolutely."

                    "Nothing has ever hurt more or felt better. And to be honest it's freaking me out and while I want nothing more to do with you, your prayers, or your stupid brother and his awesome car.... For weeks I've wanted to call you and hear a familiar voice and make sure you were still alive. So I... called and lost complete control of my brain." She huffs, putting her hands in her pockets as they walk down the sidewalk.

                     "You're not in danger or..."

                     "Nope. No more than anyone else at least. There's nothing you could do for me that literally anyone else couldn't do. Except of course be the perfect arm rest and popcorn holder when I'm sitting on the back of the seat in the last row of the movie theater." she concedes. Sam can't help but grin at this.

                     "Well, if I can't do more than anyone else could do, that at least means I can do what anyone else can do. So what do you need?"

                     "I need to go back to the motel, take off these fabulous boots," She looks down at the ridiculously sexy red leather thigh high boots that go up over her prosthetic leg. "Which are killing my foot and stump, try to take a bath or shower without falling and injuring myself, go to sleep, try not to dream of being once again trapped in this rotting carass, even more helpless than I am right now. So, I'll just call you a cab and take a long walk home." She takes her cell phone out of her bra.

                     "That's not neccessary. I'll just have Dean come get me. I know he's still up. Won't you be cold?"

                      "Probably. Or hot or sweaty or uncomfortable or bitten by a shit ton of mosquitos, possible all of them by the end of the walk. But I kind of like walking, not sure why. Probably because 'Im walking with one leg and that's just fantastic. It's almost like a koan. What is the stride of one leg walking." This gets a laugh out of Sam and a pleased smile from Babe. "Oh, but these boots. Do you have any idea how long I've wanted these boots? Since the dawn of time. I mean look at these. They cover my leg, have no heels, which is good because they don't make barbie style prosthetics, but are still sexy as hell."

                       "They are, actually." Sam looks down at her. Aside from a slight irregularity with her gait, you can't even tell she's missing a leg and he finds that impressive. Especially as he doubts she changed her mind about physical therapy. Her entire recovery has just been awe inspiring and almost miraculous and she doesn't even seem to realize how amazing it is. "Are those the boots you mentioned on the phone?" Because he can't leave well enough alone and just has to ask.

                       "Yup." She pops the 'p' and gives him a mischeivous lopsided grin, not the least ashamed.

                        "He actually bought these for you."

                        "I'm pretty sure he stole them, actually. But well, I don't care. That whole store's just a money laundering front anyways." Babe stretches out her arms in front of her, probably a little stiff from balancing on the back of a movie theater chair for over six hours.

                         "How do you know that?" Sam inquires. It's kind of an odd assumption to make so he assumes she must actually know it for a fact.

                          "People talk. I know a few languages people don't expect me to. Plus I'm small and cute and harmless looking, people always underestimate me or look past me now. Or just make me really, really miss my previous life." Though her expression with this last statement is a bit darker than he'd expect it to be, raising questions about that life.

                           "Witness protection?" Sam asks gently. Babe freezes as he does so. "It's the name, Gabrielle Xena Callisto?"

                           "Actually that was just weird parents, ironically enough." her tone isn't as light as she's obviously trying to make it.

                           "And the FBI coming when you were transfered. It was kind of a tip off. So.. I was thinking witness, but kind of seems more like your parents were the ones who turned states evidence and you're the one still alive."

                           "Well, I certainly wasn't consulted about any of this." She smiles bitterly, though much more relaxed, oddly enough.

                           "I won't tell anyone." Sam reassures her. This just seems to amuse her.

                           "You don't know anything to tell, Sample size."

                           "You keep calling me that. If I'm the sample I'd hate to see the regular size."

                           "Hmmm." Babe just gives a dreamy sigh and shakes her head. "Just a dream, I guess.  A stupid, silly, irrational, fantastic, creative, maddening, physically impossible, wonderful dream. Which of course is the best kind."

                            "I bet." Sam grins.

                            "Aw, crap." Babe sighs, her shoulders slumping. "I forgot the thingamajigy in the bathroom." she pantomimes an injection.

                            "Your... insulin?"

                            "Yeah, but the whole thing with my money and the room keys and random items that I can't fit in these clothes because women's clothing has shit for pockets."

                            "Your purse."

                            "Right."

                            "You left it in the theater bathroom?"

                            "Yeah, and in the men's room, actually. I accidentally went into the wrong one." She gives a sheepish smile and looks up at him. "So I don't suppose you could go get it for me?"

                             "Sure. have a seat. I'll be right back." Sam nods to a nearby bench.

                              "Thanks, though I'm just to stand here, staring into the window, contemplating suicide." she turns to the store front. Sam's breifly concerned until he realizes it's a confectionary.

                              "They might have some sugar free things." Sam says hopefully. She just gives a disgusted look and plasters herself against the display window with a longing sigh.

                              It's not actually hard to get her purse back. The person up front was very understanding, letting him in to get it as he didn't feel like searching for it himself. There's no money in there of course, either because she spent it all tonight or because it was stolen, so he pauses long enough to take a few of his larger bills and slip them inside. he can't see her at the store front when he reaches it, but there is a bit of broken glass as some blood.

                               "Babe!" He shouts looking around. There's a crash from down the street and as he looks towards the sound, there's a flash of light and the sound of bells, and screams, alot of them, though they're breif. The light fades to a soft radiant golden glow. As he runs towards it, he sees a flutter of massive golden wings and curls and an outstretched hand touching Babe's ribs before disappearing. "Babe..." She doesn't respond, just standing there. "Babe!" She looks bewildered with an odd sort of confused irritation to it. Her shirt is torn and bloody but she's not bleeding or even injured. In her hands is a bundle of white decorated t shirts.

                                 "What... the fuck..." She says flatly turning her gaze down to the shirts in her hands.

                                 "Gabrielle." This one finally gets her attention. "Are you hurt?"

                                 "What? Yeah, no... what?" She notices him as he checks the bloody area at her ribs.

                                 "What did you see?" He asks cautiously.

                                 "What did you see?" She counters with the disbelieving wariness of one involved with the supernatural.

                                 "A light. Golden wings, an arm."

                                 "Ah. Well, um, I... really don't know what to say..." She shakes her head, clearly not believing her own eyes.

                                 "Just tell me the truth. I'll believe you, I promise." This just gets a skeptical laugh and shake of the head from her, as clearly she doesn't even believe it herself. "Look, let me take you back to your hotel. This is probably a bit overwhelming."

                                 "Yes, actually. i'm a little... what the fuck.." she starts to tremble. "Sh.. shu.. sugar. I ne.. need." Sam sweeps her up in his arms before she can fall and races back to the confectionairy. The hole in the window is big enough to let him grab a choclate cordial or two. He feeds them ot her, slowly until the shaking stops. "Mmmm."

                                 "Babe?"

                                 "That... was almost worth it." she sighs licking her lips.

                                 "Let's get you back to the hospital."

                                 "No! No,just... I'm okay now. I am, really." Babe lets go of the t shirts with one arm and pats his chest. "Just... give me a minute."

                                

 

                                 "No, Dean, I'm fine. We're fine. I've warded the hotel room just in case it actually will still work. When she wakes up I'll ask her. Whatever it was, it may have been masquerading as an angel. Nobody's eyes burned out though just... white. Damaged. It definitely killed them. And there were bells not that dropped microphone sound." Sam frowns, pacing slightly in the hotel room. "It healed her injury, too, but it didn't do it right and she went into hypoglycemic shock.... I did a little, there were golden wings and it just vanished.... no... okay fine. Come with Cas. I'll keep you updated."

                                 "Uggh..."Babe grabs for the spare pillow, burying her face in it. "Well, that was weird." she mutters, then stops and looks over to Sam who's sitting on the other bed and then at the walls. "Not a messed up dream, then? Just messed up reality?"

                                 "Yes." Sam gives her a sympathetic smile that does nothing to reassure her.

                                 "Are you sure? Because..."

                                 "I saw it, too. Some of it. What happened?" he leans forwards, his hands clasped loosely together and arms resting on his knees. The concerned expression on his face is almost endearing.

                                 "Oh, well, normal stuff at first. Homeboy's crew found me, I was about to die horribly, and then... look, I know it's not what it looked like. I do because it's impossible that it was, but an... angel appeared, blinded and killed them, possibly by accident, healed my injury." She puts a hand to her ribs. "All while giving me a message... sort of..." She scowls, starting to look a bit pissed off.

                                  "And the message?"Sam prods

                                  "Your prayers are heard, but nothing more will be given to you. Please accept these t-shirts as a consolation prize." Babe says flatly, her eyes narrowed in irritation.

                                  "That's it?" Babe gives an irritated nod at his question. "Nothing else."

                                  "Oh, yes, the angel complimented my boots and vanished. And I sure as hell haven't been praying, either."

                                  "This angelic being came to tell you he had nothing to give you but t-shirts and a compliment." Sam clarifies.

                                  "Yes."Babe confirms, "The Big Guy has an extremely fucked up sense of humor. Did you know that? Because while I always kind of did by default, I really didn't until today. You hear that? You're not as funny as you think you are, you asshole!" She throws the bundle of shirts up at the ceiling but they just fall back down onto her face, unfolding a bit. "And look," She pushes one aside holding up a tag. "They're not even my size."

                                   "We need to check your blood sugar again." Sam goes to the mini fridge to retreive her supplies.

                                   "Why?"

                                   "You're acting a bit tipsy and that's a sign of low blood sugar." He takes the kit out.

                                   "You call it tipsy, I call it my personality." Babe holds up the t shirt that fell on her face. "Alright so look at these heavenly polyester cotton blend shirts. Which is an odd gift from God as I recall that mixed fibers were once considered an abomination unto god and man."

                                   "Give me your hand."

                                   "You're cute, but I'm not the marrying kind."

                                   "To test your blood sugar." Sam's annoyance creeps into his voice despite herself but that just makes her smirk a little before she holds out her hand. "It's going to be alright, you know."

                                   "Really? Because I could have sworn that God sent one of his angels to tell me that he's forsaken me and that I should go fuck myself. Does that indicate anything being alright to you? Because that's not my take on it."

                                  "That's not my interpretation." Sam corrects her. "And angels don't look like that."

                                  "Oh, you're an expert on angels then? You've seen so many?"

                                  "I'm as close to one as you probably know, I guess. But an angel uses a human vessel for communication except in special cases. Outside of a vessel they're well, they burn your eyes clean from their sockets, killing you with their presence alone. And when they speak their real voice isn't the lovely sound of bells but a painful noise like a malfunctioning speaker. And you don't actually see their wings. It's more like a shadow of them. Hold on..." He takes out his ringing phone. "Cas, yes... yes... Do you want to speak to her yourself? I... I know I did, I'll just put you on a speaker phone."

                                  "Miss Callisto." Castiel's deep voice comes out of the phone. "What did you see? Will you describe the being?"

                                  "What it looked like?" She seems surprised and looks over to Sam who nods. "Oh, well, aside from what he said. It was beautiful, soft and... like an ocean at sunset I guess. But light as a song. Everything about her was golden and bright, flowing and her wings were just incredible. Full, flowing, fluffy, so thick I wouldn't be surprised if they could flap a tornado into being without effort. There were alot of wings. six or sixty, It was hard to tell by looking. Everything about her was golden except her robes which were white."

                                  "It was a woman though? Clearly female."  Sam finds that an odd question for Castiel to ask, though Babe takes it in stride.

                                   "Not exactly, feminine definitely, but impossible to say physically. Are angels men and women for you to ask that?" She sounds slightly annoyed for some reason.

                                  "No. angels have so sexual designation and are gender fluid.  However it's not our personal traits that change, but the gender associated with them. How we adress each other changes accordingly and with language and it's defaults." Most of this explanation seems directed to his side of the phone. Babe seems oddly bored by it. "In a vessel, we use the vessel's pronouns as a matter of simplicity in casual conversation. Though if one has preferred a certain gender vessel there's a tendency to forget which to use. Many of us find the whole concept of gender absurd and unnecessary."

                                 "Alright, so what are you avoiding saying, Cas." Dean's voice on the speaker phone isn't as clear as Sam would like. "What new nightmare are we about to face this time?"

                                 "From the description, it sounds like one of Gabriel's manifestations." Comes the reply.

                                 "Oh, so an old nightmare then." Sam thinks he sees Babe flip off the phone, but he's not sure. There's no reason she should have.

                                 "But he's dead." Sam says quietly. "God is gone... if this is one of his advanced deliveries... how..."

                                  "I don't know."

                                  "Is Babe in danger?" Sam asks the important question. Babe just rolls her eyes, obviously thinking she isn't. "Or is this all just to be taken at face value?"

                                  "We'll look into it. You just stay there with her until we call back, understood?" Dean orders.

                                  "Sure. I'll call you if anything comes us." Sam replies, hanging up when his brother does.

                                  "So.. I was on the phone with your brother and an angel." Babe prompts after a moments consideration. "Does this have anything to do with those books you mentioned?"

                                "What books?" Sam puts the insulin kit away.

                                "You remember, during that odd reaction to medication fiasco. You asked me if I'd read the Supernatural books."

                                "Oh,no, that's not what I... but actually, that is kind of what I'm referring to now. Did you read any of them?" Is she has that will make things alot easier.

                              "I binged a few dozen while I was figuring out my insulin schedule. So given that, I kind of feel I'm hallucinating, or is this some sort of advanced role play?" She looks him over.

                              "No." Sam kneels on the floor by her bed. "I'm afraid it's all true."

                               "Let me guess, you're that Sam."

                               "Sam Winchester. You met my brother Dean. And that was Cas on the phone. Castiel." She doesn't seem as taken aback by any of this as he'd expect her to be. But then again she's not exactly what he'd expect her to be with just about anything so far so why should this be any different?

                              "Uh-huh. So, tell me, cutie, how'd you end up stopping the apocalypse? I assume you did as there hasn't been mass devestation rendering everything a technological wasteland. And you're neither dead nor possessed by Satan." It's reassuring how assure she seems when stating that last one. "I didn't get past Hammer of the Gods." She explains.

                               "We put Lucifer back in the cage."

                                "Yes, I remember, that was the plan. get the rings, put him back. I'm asking how exactly you managed to do it. I doubt he'd have fallen for that, I didn't believe you ever actually fit in there trick, like with genies in stories. I can't find the rest of the books for some reason and I have to say I'm curious as hell. Even more so now." She looks at him expectantly. Sam is silent for a moment, not really wanting to talk about any of that as it would inevitably lead to everything that followed and he's not sure knowing any of it would make things any easier on her. 

                                "Sorry. I make it a policy not to give out spoilers." He smiles. When she finds the rest of the books, he'll deal with it then. Babe looks at him impatiently for a minute or two, but looks away, resigned to his silence.

                                "Fine. Do those anti possession tattoos work?" She looks him over curiously.

                                "Yes."

                                "I should probably get one. Not sure where to put it though. "Can I see yours?" Babe eyes his chest.

                                "Not on a first date."

                                "Well, a girl can dream." She picks up one of the tshirts and looks at the graphics. "So this is way too big. And has some sort of wrong chemical equations on the front and a bad joke about beer goggles on the back," she tosses it to him. "Looks like your size actually, but what the hell, right?"

                                "This is the law of the conservation of energy. A really wharped chemical equation example of it, but yeah, basically a really badly done joke about beer goggles."

                               "Is it as bad as the equation?" She asks jokingly.

                               "Yes. It's one of those weird things lke when someone's singing a song where the tune is off and the words are wrong but you still somehow know what it is they're trying to sing." Sam shakes his head. Babe shudders at the thought of such a thing and picks up another tshirt

                                "Okay. A bible verse about virtue and a shirt that may not completely engulf me mind body and soul. Not that I have a soul," Babe slips it on. "Still a little big." She sighs, The sleeves go down past her elbows making her look like a little kid wearing her big brother's clothes. "Still a little big. And a picture of Elinore Roosevelt and a quote. Fill what's empty, empty what's full and scratch where it itches. That's especially wrong as that was said by Alice, nor Elinore. These are really crappy tshirts."

                               "The citations wrong for the bible verse, too." Sam looks it over. "It's only quoting first corinthians 13:13 but the citation says 1-13."

                               "So I not only get a message from god telling me to fuck off but my consolations prize of three tshirts are misprints that don't fit. I"d ask what I did, but I have a fairly good idea."

                               "The more you point out these little details the more I believe it was actually Gabriel." Sam grins, ignoring her self deprecation.

                               " Why? Because the archangel Gabriel is a little shit?" Babe looks pissed at the entirety of heaven and the the divine.

                               "Pretty much. He's not really so bad, though."

                               "No?" She looks up at him hopefully.

                               "Well, compared to Lucifer..." He shrugs, realizing that there's not much he can say that she'd probably understand.

                               "Talk about being damned with faint praise. Did he know how much you despised him when he went to die for you?" She gets incredibly pissy at this for some reason.

                               "I don't despise him. I kind of liked him to tell the truth, but if you read the books you know why he's not my most favorite person." Sam corrects her. She makes a kind of chagrined face and looks away.

                               "Right, the whole repeatedly killing your brother thing. But you have to admit some of those deaths were pretty funny." she glances back at him, quickly cowed by the expression on his face. "Or maybe not." She reaches back to grab a glass of water with a few splinters of melted ice from the night stand. "Thanks."

                              "Why exactly are you bringing all this up?"

                              "Bitter dissapointment. From what I saw, that angel is one hot peice of ass. If she couldn't catch your eye, I have no chance." Babe takes a drink. Sam just looks at her a bit confused. "Oh, come on, you can tell me you didn't notice how he was constantly flirting with you the entire time you knew him. It's all there in black and white. Kind of embarassingly pathetic how obvious it is honestly." She scrunches up her nose, embarrassed for the angel's sake.

                              "Well, one, that's not what he looked like when I met him, not that he wasn't cute or anything, but I'm really not into guys, so, even if he was flirting and not just being a pain in the ass it wouldn't have mattered. And secondly, I know you're scared or angry and this is just your way of coping, but if you could tone down your own meaningless flirting a little, just for an hour or so, I'd appreciate it."

                               "Alright. Gotcha big guy, Meaningful flirting only." she winks. He doesn't look amused so she just plops back and stares silently up a the ceiling until she can think of something to do. As that something seems to be just falling back asleep, Sam takes the bible from the nightstand and looks up first corinthians 13.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you haven't guessed Babe is Gabriel, but so was the angel that saved and healed. Her father had her deliver a message to her future self and realizing that is what caused such a confused, incredulous, and irritated reaction. She and her father share a unique sense of humor.


	9. It's Not Like That

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Babe aren't dating, aren't friends, and aren't interested in each other at all, not even a little. They just enjoy each other's company and have nothing better to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Denial thy name is Winchester

           "So," Dean looks over the t shirts. Babe sent them back with Sam, having no use for them at all. She felt inclined to burn them, but didn't as they might be important. "This is strange. Even for Gabriel."

           "Agreed."

           "They're our sizes too. Do you think that's a coincidence? You, Cas, me." He points to the equations, verse, and quotes respectively. "I'm surprised our initials aren't sewn into the tags."

            "That's kind of an odd way to go about giving it to us though. And cruel. Babe's really upset." Sam looks as distressed as this fact as Dean's ever seen him. He would have stayed with her, but she shoved him out the door citing the need for alone time.

            "Well do you blame her? A coma for eight years or whatever and now God sends Mr. Tact to come tell her to stop bothering him? I'm surprised she's not burning down churches. How is the babe otherwise?"

             "It's not 'the babe'. It's Babe. That's the nickname she prefers to go by, not a term of endearment." Sam corrects him primly. Dean just rolls his eyes.

             "Sure, keep telling yourself that." he grins at his consternated brother.

             "What?"

             "Sam, obviously short stuffs kind of into you."

             "She's not. That's just how she is. She jokes, she teases, she flirts when nervous or upset or uncomfortable. You know, like you do. It doesn't mean anything." Usually the more sensitive of the two, Sam doesn't seem to realize, like Dean does that it's different with women. They rarely flirt without intent. For that matter, he rarely does either except to piss someone off. And he sincerely doubts she's trying to piss Sam off.

             "She asked you out on a date, Sam. How many hints do you need? Seriously, dude."

             "We went to see a movie." Sam corrects him, like that invalidates his statement, the idiot.

             "That's kind of a classic example of a date there, Sammy."

             "It wasn't a date!"

             "Who paid?" Dean asks, though Sam clearly doesn't think that signifies anything. "Or did you go dutch."

             "She did, actually. She'd bought the tickets and gift cards for the concession stand ahead of time so I really couldn't and wouldn't take anything from me. I managed to sneak money into her purse afterwards, though."

              "It wasn't two hundred dollars was it?" Dean holds up a folded bunch of bills with a safety pin and a note. 'Nice try, sample size' "It was pinned to the sleeve."

              "Well, she's just very independant, I guess." Maybe if he'd just put in money for the movies she'd have kept it. Maybe not though. It probably was a bit much, but she really doesn't have much of anything. he doesn't even know how she's making her money now. He's fairly sure it's something illegal though, not that they have any room to judge. Hopefully nothing dangerous.

              "She likes you. Girls don't pay for dates unless.. well, girls don't usually pay. You sure she's a chick?"

              "They do if they're decent generous people who don't want to be obligated to anyone. Jess used to pay if it was something she really wanted to do. And what does that have to do with being a girl or not?" Sam snaps, a little irritated for someone who's not interested in her that way.

               "Okay, look, she's cute, she's feisty. You just know she'd be a freak in bed."

               "Dean!"

               "I'm just saying. You should have a little fun. Live a little." he nudges his baby brother who doesn't look appreciative of the sage advice.

               "While I still can?" Sam snatches the money back. The comment wipes the grin off Dean's face. He almost considers apologizing.

               "Holy shit." Dean looks up at him. "These actually are for us. Fill what's empty? Empty what's full? Conservation of energy? Matter cannot be created or destroyed right? So what if that means that things that are sent to the empty still exist. And if it exists, it can be brought back. We can retreive Death from the empty. That would make things right with the reapers and your soul can go where its supposed to go."

              "That's kind of a big leap. How do we know he's there? Are you sure you're not reading too much into this? And where would biblical virtues fit into this? I'm also fairly sure that taking something out of the empty would involve going into the empty which I'm fairly sure none of us would be okay with any of us attempting." Sam frowns, not wanting to get up hope, or even sure that he wants to go to heaven.  Not that he has any idea how to say that to either Cas or Dean. Alot of nothing might be nice. A real rest.

               "Look, every fucked up thing that Gabriel's ever done has had some kind of purpose or message. Why should this be any different?"

               "First off, he didn't appear to us, he appeared to Babe. He gave these to her, not us. If she's supposed to be involved with this... I am not involving her in this, Dean. She just got out of a coma for christsake." Sam picks up his bad equation tshirt. "There's no way that was Gabriel, either. Why would he appear like that? Now. Even time skipping to pre deliver messages. that would mean that God sent him a long time ago, or that he sent him now and I really don't want to think what either of those options would make me think. Why would he take that kind of form?"

               "I dunno, credibility? Would you have believed that little twerp was an angel of the lord if you didn't know about angels to begin with?" Dean shrugs but yet again he's managed to piss of his brother. He's in one hell of a mood, but then again, he is dying so a little irritability is to be expected.

               "That 'little twerp' saved our asses. He died for us, Dean, or did you forget that?"

               "My statement still stands. And he probably just gave them to her because he wasn't supposed to meet us yet or something or wanted us involved with her. Making you two a match made in heaven." He elbows his brother who gives a semi defeated sigh, hopefully indicating he finally sees some sense. "I don't know. Cas is looking into it. We should look into this. If we can get Death back, we'll be square. Your soull will be safe and we can... spend some quality time together, worry free." An obvious lie, but Sam lets it go.

                "We'll have to go back to the bunker and check the library. Maybe we can find something about this." Sam sighs. "Anything about either three subjects."

                "No. 'We' don't have to do anything. You have to keep your ass here, go through chemo and surgery near someone who can help take care of you in case this thing takes me too far away. You have your laptop. I got this. Just... Concentrate on healing, keeping yourself alive and making a few nice memories with Krazy Kat."

                "Her name is Babe and it's not going to happen so drop it."

                "Why not? The way I see it you can both use something good right about now." Dean points out as reasonably as he can.

                "I'm dying, Dean. My life is ending. Maybe I can draw this out long enough for the grace to wear off and be healed, but all bets say I can't. It's a long shot any way you look at it I'm going to be sick as hell. The longer it drags on the sicker and weaker I'll be. This is not the time for a relationship and I don't feel up to a fling. Especially not with a young woman who's just been given her life back."

                "Fine." Dean shakes his head, saying it in a manner that indicates more that he's only giving in temporarily.

                "So stop. I mean it." Sam's not fooled at all.

                "I said fine, didn't I?"

                "Yeah, not try to say it like you actually mean it."

                "Alright! Fine. I won't try to get your head out of your ass and make you admit you have a thing for this girl who obviously has a thing for you. And neither will I push for you to have the last and possibly only chance of love and happiness you have left. Okay? Better?"

                "I've known her two months not seven or eight years." Sam says cooly. Dean just ignores the dig.

                "Does that really matter at this point?"

                "Don't start this war with me, Dean." Sam's voice is low and threatening, so much so that Dean decides to take it seriously.

                "Fine, you're a dumbass though."

                "Speck. Plank." Sam looks pointedly at his brother who just makes a kind of confused wtf face. "Forget it. I'm going out for a walk."

 

               "Hey! N'samja!" Sam slows down as he hears the familiar voice. "Hold up! I don't have that attatchment yet." He looks back down the jogging path. "Down here, muhtesam."

                "Okay, Sample size, I sort of understand." He walks over to the side of the raised path and looks down to the walkway going underneath. "But where do n'samja and muhtesam come from?" She's standing beneath him and gives a wave, backing up a few steps, stumbling slightly as she does so.

                "N'samja is a play on m'sanja which is chickewa for tower. And  Muhtesam is from Muhtesem which is turkish for gorgeous. That okay?" Babe asks, though he doubts it'd matter if it wasn't.

                 "Wow, well, the use of languages is impressive.You're into linguistics then?"

                 "Nah, I just got bored and googles for potential terms of endearment that could possibly be made to contain your name in every known language." She shrugs.

                "Good god, why?" he leans on the stone wall.

                "I was bored. Why else? I could do insults if you prefer but either way, only the best for you, samcake." She gives him the wink and the gun, making him smile despite himself. "Hows the weather up there?"

                "Short and fairly stupid." Babe just sticks out her tongue at him for this as if she didn't start the height jokes. "So are you coming up or am I coming down?"

                "Not sure. Which is easier? Me climbing or you jumping?" She taps her chin, a thoughtful expression on her face, actually seeming to appraise the structure. "Holy fuck, you jumped." She laughs. "Show off."

                 "I'm fitting the athletic in while I can. I start a round of incredibly intensive chemo tomorrow and it's all downhill from there." He shrugs, sticking his thumbs in his belt loops.

                  "What, still with that cover story, huh? What are you hunting and why is it worth injecting yourself with radiation to catch it? Or are you using placebos?" She asks, mimicking his posture.

                  "Babe, it's not a cover story. I actually do have lukemia." Sam says gently, "We're not hunting anything."

                  "But you're traveling with an angel aren't you? Shouldn't he be able to take care of that?"

                  "It's along story, but he can't. He's... altered." Sam's not sure he really wants to go into that just yet.

                 "Can I hear it? Or am I going to have to find more of those damn books first?"

                 "If it wasn't the last day for weeks that I'll be out of a hospital room, maybe, but I just really want to run. I've kind of slacked off these last few months and..."

                "No, I know." She waves off his apology. "You want to feel the wind in your hair and all that. I was just on my way to the playground. I have a day off so.." Babe tilts her head.

                "Oh, so you do have a job." She looks annoyed at how relieved he looks. Well that explains why he felt the need to slip her a few hundred, the over generous sap.

                "Yup. Nothing consistent really. Temp work. You know, there are plenty of ways to get exercise at a playground. I bet you give great piggyback rides." She elbows his stomach.

                 "It's never come up. But a thirty two year old man can't just walk into a playground and start playing with random children. That's kind of creepy." He points out, though the thought of playing with kids does sound appealing.

                 "No, but Auntie Bibi's helper can." She grins at him with a mischeivous look he's not sure he likes.

                 "I'm not going to have to wear a costume, am I?" he eyes her suspiciously.

                 "No." She laughs again. "I'm not a performer. I'm an emergency babysitter." Babe grins, then laughs at Sam's startled expression. "What did you think I was? A clown?"  The thought makes him almost visibly shudder.

                 "That's not funny, and no. I dunno, a magician? Or something like that. Not a baby sitter." She's incredibly interesting but the thought of parents trusting her with their children seems a bit farfetched.

                 "I used to play with the young uns in my family all the time growing up. When I didn't have other things I had to do I'd be in the garden surrounded by the little buggers. My older siblings couldn't really be bothered to just play, too grown up I guess.  Though Desi and Miqa used to play with me and Rafi all the time. Desi more than Miqa, but Miqa was the responsible one. Rafi was a sweet heart but took himself way too seriously, willing to do almost anything to prove himself."

                "You were daddy's little girl, I bet." That's probably the reason she's the way she is.

                "Ha! Not exactly. That would be Miquela. Though Desatar was the favorite. Everyone loved Desi, especially the babies. At least until he got so full of himself that he couldn't be bothered with them. You know the kind, those child stars who peak too young, buy into the hype and become just one big flaming douche." She scowls as she says it. Though she looks more sad than angry.

                 "Yeah, I guess."

                "But I mean,... yeah it hurts to remember how it used to be, but I can't seem to let go of it, either. All the games and jokes and smiles, they won't stay locked away. It'd be easier to forget, you know, but I can't anymore. It all invades my dreams, night after night. But I can't make things what they were so I just have to take the good things and pass them down when I can. It's a different world and I just... ah, I'm loosing words again. How do you translate a lost legacy?" Babe covers her face in chagrin.

                  "Maybe you're just trying too hard. Is love really all that complicated thing to explain?" Sam rubs her back a bit. She looks up at him with that incredulous but not surprised look that says 'I know most people are that stupid, but you?'

                   "How would you turn hunting into a playground game?" This question just comes out of nowhere.

                   "I wouldn't." He seems a bit surprised at the idea.

                   "An abstinance only approach, huh? Why do you hunt? Love. Love of your brother, your father, mankind in general, the need to do what's right. What do you call that if not love? How do you take that love and those skills and translate them into this." She gestures ahead to the playground. "turning one form of Love to another isn't always that easy."

                  "Bibi! Bibi!" Several screaming toddlers race towards them. "Me up!"

                  "Ahhh, noooo." she dramatically topples over into the grass as they tackle her and is quickly covered by them.

                  "Jordan!" one of the women on the bench exclaims, rising to her feet. "Cassie!" But one of the other women touches her arm, saying something that makes her sit back down again a bit warily.

                   "It's okay!" Babe reaches her hand up out of the pile and waves. "Off my head, pocky puss." The little tussle is amusing to watch as she tickles and blows raspberries on the various cheeks and tummies within her reach. The laughter and shreiks of joy are infectious. Sam couldn't keep the smile off his face if he tried.

                   "Pony! Pony!" They demand.

                   "Alright." She sits up. "Same rules! Whoever touches it first gets the first ride! If there's a dispute, you fight to the death." Much to the shock of a few of the mothers and nannies, she unscrews her leg and tosses it to the empty end of the playground.

                   "Seriously?" Sam is only surprised that he's not more surprised.

                   "What? They love that."

                   "Isn't that a bit to expensive to be tossing around like a frisbee?"

                   "Medical fees are the only thing my parents estate will pay for. Besides it's still in the boot." She protests.

                   "It's okay, that's Gabrielle." One of the calmer adults reassures a not so calm one.

                   "More importantly, though," A third puts her magazine down and walks over to the smiling Sam, "Who are you, handsome?"

                    "I'm... with Bibi, Ms. Callisto, Bibi.. Gabrielle.. Babe?" He calls moving aside as the new comer puts a freindly hand on his arm.

                    "You're Gabby's boyfreind?" He's fairly sure she isn't and never wanted to be called Gabby. Even if she does seem to have a million nicknames. "She hasn't mentioned you. Don't know why not. I'd never shut up about it."

                     "Diane! Catch!" Both Sam and Diane turn to see Babe pick up a small boy and just hurl him their way. About seven steps and a thousand heart attacks later, the realize she didn't actually let go and only spun on her heel.

                     "That's not funny." Diane snaps, though the child seems to disagree.

                     "Sampai, c'mere. We're giving horsey rides then building a baby wall."

                     "Please tell me the baby wall isn't what it sounds like." He walks over, glad of the excuse to move away. She just waggles her eyebrows at him with a lopsided grin and crouches down for the first rider. "Don't you want to put your leg back on?"

                      "Only slow me down." She gives s whinny and trots off, toddler on her back, holding her hair like reins.

                      "Babby boy? oo tie my shoo?" Sam looks down to see a small girl hold up a tiny shoe.

                      "Sure." he kneels down and puts it back on her tiny pink socked foot.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Desatar- Day star (morning star) in spanish,


	10. Something to Pass the Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Babe and Sam define their non relationship  
> Sam and Cas bond and discuss the empty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter we get Cas's take on the story in Flying Lesson, which was from Raphael's point of view. Also He meets Babe face to face, which she has managed to avoid so far.
> 
> Sampita- a balkan whipped merengue dessert with egg yolk crust dusted in powdered sugar.  
> Sampaguita- a flower, also known as Arabian Jasmine

            "Ready to get something to eat?" Babe plops down next to an exhausted Sam on the grass beneath a large oak.

            "I should actually get back to Sheriff Mills'. I've been out longer than I said I'd be. And gone farther actually. I'm surprised Dean hasn't been blowing up my phone, honestly." Sam admits.

            "That's because I turned it off." Babe pulls it out of her bra.

            "What?" he puts his hand to his pocket. "Then what's in my... a plastic phone?" He holds it up.

            "With Candy inside." Babe turns his phone back on. "Oh, wow, look at that." Babe laughs. "God, he's like a needy girlfreind." The phone rings just as Sam tries to reach for it, but Babe just curls herself into a ball around it, answering it herself. "Winchester harem, now accepting applications." She fakes an indian accent for some unknown reason.

            "Who is this?" Sam can slightly hear his brother, but still isn't sure he's willing to grab the girl the way he'd need to, to get the phone back. "Where's Sam?"

            "Sahib is unavailable at the moment. Can I perhaps take a message?"

            "Babe!" Sam finally resorts to tickling her, grabbing the phone back when she drops it in her convulsive laughter. "Sorry, Dean. She stole and turned off my phone when I wasn't looking Is something wrong? Has something happened?"

            "Are you alright? Where the hell are you?" Dean sounds extra pissed off.

            "The playground between the elementary school and the park."

            "Come again?"

            "I went jogging to the park, met Babe, played in the playground with kids she sits for. What's wrong?"

            "I just thought you were lying dead in a feild somewhere, seeing as you left and haven't responded to my calls or texts for six hours. Is that wrong enough to warrant my concern?"

            "I'm fine. We're going out for lunch. I'm turning off my phone again to conserve the battery in case I need it later. You should be happy. Weren't you just ordering me to do this earlier?" Sam teases him.

             "What was he ordering you to do?" Babe talks over whatever scathing response Dean gives him.

             "I'll talk to you later." Sam hangs up. "Dean is trying his hand at matchmaking now that he believes this is the last chance I'll ever have to find love." Babe starts laughing her head off again, so much so that she falls over. "Well, mostly he just wants me to get laid."

              "I refuse to believe you couldn't if you wanted to, so obviously you just don't want to. If you like we can torture him into reversing his stance through excessive pda's and inappropriate humor. Or you know actually have a wild fling. Though that might defeat the whole purpose." She frowns, shaking her head at the idea. "This is not the time for that. That's not how I think of you. I don't want that at all, and neither am I going to actually treat you like a sex object. Furniture maybe, but this isn't the time for that either. I enjoy your company, god help me, and being around you makes me feel good, even if I'd rather it didn't. And that's it." Babe shrugs it off.

              "Honestly, it's better if you didn't spend too much time with me." Sam says a bit bitterly. "You just got your life back. You shouldn't be in such a rush to throw it away again. If you read the books, you know that people I get close to tend to die alot."

               "Excuse you, sample size. I think we both know that I am perfectly capable of getting myself in unspeakable mortal danger without your help, thank you very much." She sounds a bit offended even as she takes out a protein bar and bops his nose with it. "I'm not helpless. Augh this is awful." She reluctantly swallows the bit. "Not  completely helpless anyways, but I lost... my leg, my life, my family, and I'm having a hell of of a hard time getting used to that. My self defense skills are just pathetic right now due to balance issues. I'm  dia-freakin- betic and unles sI get the hang of it now, my life expectancy isn't going to be that easy either, and I can assure you I am not going to heaven when I die."

                "Don't be so sure. Unless you've made any deals..." he starts, though for all he knows she could have before the accident. That wouldn't give her much more time than he has though, and that's not a good thought at all.

                "No, of course not. I want nothing to do with heaven or it's angels and I sincerely doubt you have anything to say that could change my mind about that."

                "Can I ask why you feel that way?" Sam asks gently.

                "You shouldn't have to. You lived it, I only read about it."

                "Right. It's still better than the alternative, though." Sam persists. "And your family will be there. Don't you want to see them again?"

                "No." Babe tosses the bitten protein bar away. It lands in the pile of garbage peeking out of the can but bounces off onto the grass. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me. I don't want to see any of them again in any realm. I don't care how many stupid memories I dream of. That was then, this is now. Believe me, there are none who'd care to see me either, regardless of where they ended up."

                "I can't believe that's true."

                "No, you're right. I can think of several who would love to see me again and make certain I'm well and truly dead. Those I can forgive would never forgive me. Those who I can't... It's okay though. They're all far away and can't find me. Possibly dead or in prison. So you're not in danger for my sake." She grins. "In case you were worried."

                "So.. drugs? Weapons? Revolutionaries? Terrorists? Organized crime? A cult? Musical theater?" Sam nudges her. Babe cracks a grin at the last one.

                 "C'mon, Sam, the day you tell me everything is the day I tell you." She pats his belly. "A girl needs to have a little mystery, don't you think, Samshine?"

                "Fair enough." Sam concedes. At least this means she won't push without it being permission to push back. "So you're determined to be my freind, then."

                "Oh, hell no." Babe scrunches her nose. "Like that's not the most loaded word in the english language. 'Freind' can mean anything in the world and nothing at the same time. Besides, I'm much for commitments of any kind. I'm not helping you move and I'm sure as hell not taking you to or from the airport. Nah, I was thinking I'd use you for entertainment purposes and repay you in kind. And I do not mean sexual because, you can get someone to do anything sexual if you know where to place the ads or have enough money. But where the hell do you go to buy a good game of monopolu, that's what I want to know. Am I right?" The conspiratorial look she gives him almost makes him laugh.

                 "You're not wrong."

                 "Well? How about it?"

                 "About what? Monopoly?"

                 "Play dates. Agreeing  on the parameters of our lack of a relationship. Do we have a deal?" Babe holds out her hand. "And by Deal I mean in a totally non demonic, non binding sort of way."

                  "It's a deal, but only because you give me decent nicknames." Sam shakes her head. "Moose and the like get kind of old."

                  "It's not exactly clever. You're not even Canadian, are you?  Or from Maine. Kansas wasn't it?"

                  "Yep. Born and bred." Sam nods. "N'samja is cute and clever, even if it is just another height joke at the base of it."

                  "I thought so. But I've found not everyone can appreciate my sense of humor. So, what's on the menu for the last free night for a few weeks?"

                  "You mean besides trying not to murder my brother? I hasn't really thought about it. I know that Jody's making some big meal tonight. There'll be a bonfire and some early fireworks. I'll be in the hospital over the fourth so it might actually just be a cook out. Would you like to come?"

                  "I'd love to, but I'm getting CPR certified tonight and the whole first aid kit and caboodle. of course, I won't be able to sit for kids who have a pool until I can figure out if and how I can swim with one leg and get certified as a lifeguard as well."

                  "All that's necessary for babysitting?"

                  "If I want to get paid enough to keep from being tempted by the hourly rates of prostitution, yes. Plus it makes up for my prosthetic in alot of eyes. I didn't have those awesome boots to cover it up before. Children are so fragile in so may ways and tough as hell in so many others. I'm not taking any chances." her face is so serious at these last few statements, a rare sight and oddly charming. "And what about this afternoon? What are you plans?"

                  "It's  a tie between making notes for one of Cas' lesson plans, he's holding a sort of humanity 101 for his siblings in heaven." This actually gets an amused grin out of her. "Or taking a nap as I"m exhausted. Maybe both but I don't really feel like leaving the park, or even getting up." He sighs not looking forwards to the walk back. Maybe he can just call Dean to pick him up.

                   "You look like you could use a nap, though. Here, give me your outer shirt and jacket. I'm surprised you're not sweltering in that." She holds out her hand.

                   "My what?"

                   "Those massively unnecessary for the end of june layers you're wearing. Hand them over. C'mon." Sam does so and watches her fold them neatly into a makeshift pillow that she puts into her lap, and covers with her own well worn leather jacket. "Lay down. I'll sing you to sleep and play with your hair while you rest. You may wake up with a french braid crown full of daisies but nothing worse than that, cross my heart."

                    "That's your idea of entertainment?" He raises an eyebrow at her.

                    "Don't judge." She says mock defensively, but a sad sort of cast to her eyes, keeps him from arguing.

                    "Alright." he moves a few sticks out of the way and rests his head on the jacket pillow.

                     "Close your eyes and just relax. Listen to the rustles and laughter, feel the warmth..." Babe runs her fingers gently back through his hair sort of smoothing it out. "I let it fall... my heart... and as it fell... you rose to claim it..."

                      "Adele? Really?" Sam laughs despite himself.

                       "Hush. She's a goddess and you know it.... it was dark and I was over... until you kissed my lips and you saved me..." It's surprising how soothing a song about heart break can be when sung so gently.

 

                       "Hey." Babe taps Sam's nose as an approaching shadow wakes her from her own nap. "I think your brother's... here..." She stops as she realizes that it's not Dean standing in front of them. Sam blinks and stretches his arms out a little.

                       "What?" he looks up. "Hey, Cas. I'm sorry. I didn't really get much done this afternoon."

                       "Yes, Ms. Callisto informed us of your change in plans." he nods solemnly, looking oddly at Babe.

                       "You did?" Sam sits up, running his fingers back through his hair to check for braids or flowers. There are none which he finds surprising, and almost disappointing.

                        "Relax. I fell asleep before I could do anything."Babe hands him his shirt and jacket. There a sort of guarded stiffness to her words and movements that make Sam look at her more closely. "I didn't realize I was so tired but those rugrats can wear you out." She reaches down and rubs around the nub of her right leg.

                        "I'm sorry, if I was making your leg hurt you should have woken me." Sam retrains himself from touching it, which Babe greatly appreciates. What is it with people's impulsive needs to touch injuries anyway?  
                         "It's not you. It's the leg. having it on too long kind of chafes. I still haven't built up enough callouses yet."

                         "Are you injured?" Castiel asks, startling her for some odd reason.

                         "Not exactly. It's just a necessary process. It has to break and heal and break and heal again to adjust to the prosthetic and pressure. I don't need another angel healing or want one. It would send me into  hypoglycemic shock. Again. I think because of the sped up metabolism of it just being accelerated healing. So.. hands off." Babe shifts slightly to one side, her voice still kind of odd. "And now my other legs fallen asleep. Give me a hand, Sampita?" But Cas takes the hand she holds out instead.

                         "You don't need to be afraid of me, Ms. Callisto." Castiel says gently. "Any freind of Sam's is a freind of mine."

                         "I have to go." She takes her hand back, steadying herself on the tree. After a few involuntary tears escape her eyes, she grabs her purse and retreats, off to her class with a wave back to Sam and a 'call me' gesture.

                          "It's okay, Cas. You didn't do anything." Sam puts a hand on his freinds shoulder at the incredibly distressed look on his face. "They may not have been sad tears, you know. She comes from strife and chaos as far as I can tell. The last angel she met just told her she was on her own, or at least that's how she took it."

                           "That is a viable explanation." Cas tightens his lips, not looking much less concerned.

                           "Cas," Sam looks back towards the retreating figure. "You could heal her, couldn't you? Her leg? The diabetes?"

                            "No."

                            "But you got promoted. You can't do anything for me because of the divine protection but will it really affect her?"

                            "My ability to transport myself isn't the only ability I'm having trouble with. This is as new to me as being human once was. I attempted to heal a dying cow as a test and somehow created a festering tumor which grew and exploded. I was an accomplished seraph, but as an archangel I'm... an infant. the only archangel left who could possibly begin to train me would as likely kill me should we release him."There's a deep bitterness, inescapable though he tries to conceal it.

                           "So basically it's like being forced to switch from Windows to Linux with no warning." Sam conjectures.

                           "I don't know what a Linux is or how it relates to a window."

                           "Is there... are there written instructions? On the angel tablet maybe?"

                           "No. I made sure the tablet was irreparably destroyed." Cas shakes his head, though not regretting the action. It was too much power and information too dangerous to allow to be made known.

                            "That was probably for the best." Sam reluctantly admits. Cas knew he'd understand at least, even if his brother had a different reaction.

                            "The learning curve is far steeper than I anticipated. I sitll haven't been able to make significant progress in regards to transportation."

                            "You don't know if you could cure me, even if the blessing fades in time." Sam assumes, a bit disheartened by the conclusion.

                            "I know I have the capability in me. I just don't know when I'll be able to access it. I will do everything I can, but I'm not as confident as I was at first." Cas confesses. Sam has to pause and consider this for a while.

                            "Have you told Dean this?" He asks.

                            "Yes."

                            "That's why he's so on edge. well, there's still the matter of keeping my soul from oblivion. And I did promise to give you as much time as I possibly can, so why don't you just focus on that."

                            "Given the ever present potential for a sudden mundane death for either of you, securing your souls to an accessible plain is the most sensible priority."Castiel says slowly before looking back over to Sam. "I do have a question about your relationship with that young woman, though." He sounds a bit reluctant to ask so Sam forgives him for it.

                            "Mutual entertainment." He grins at the thought. "Not at all sexual or romantic in nature and neither are we friends."

                            "Mutual entertainment."

                            "Because you can't just go to any street corner and pay someone to play yatzee with you."

                            "If that's euphemism, than that's likely not true."

                            "It's not." Sam laughs.

                            "I find it unlikely that a person willing to have sex for money would object to playing board games for it instead, but... her company is enjoyable to you?" Finally a sensible question.

                            "Extremely. We spent the morning playing with children in the playground. She's a substitute babysitter or nanny. If a caretaker is sick or needs time off she calls Babe who'll take over. You wouldn't think it, but she's really good with kids. Scares the crap out of all the grownups who don't know her, but... kids..."He shrugs, unable to stop smiling just thinking about it.

                            "I believe you." Castiel gives a smile as well. "In the garden, the siblings the fledgelings loved the most were the ones that worried the older ones the most. Even having experienced something like it myself, it was still unnerving to see the more reluctant fledgelings being thrown from the gates of heaven. Granted the abyss was no longer beneath us and they were always caught before they fell too far if they weren't flying."

                            "What?" Sam exclaims at this. He didn't know how angels were taught to fly but he was sure a gentler approach was used.

                            "Like many before me, I was reluctant to leave the garden for the first time and couldn't seem to manage my wings well enough to take flight. But remaining indefinitely wasn't an option as ours was hardly the last batch of angels to be created. Most of those who still couldn't fly when forced to leave fell either into the abyss or into the waters with the leviathan which had a similar result. The world was all ocean then. So many memories had been taken from me of that time, efore humanity, but they're returning now. It's a funny thing nostalgia. Of course I, for motivation was thrown directly to the abyss. Apparently it wasn't motivating enough."

                            "Which brother threw you into the abyss? And how did you get out again?" though Sam feels he can guess which brother.

                            "Obviously I wasn't thrown into the abyss. If I had entered I would never have emerged again. And to answer your first question, it was Gabriel. He had for some reason taken a personal interest in me welfare. One that thankfully faded once I successfully flew. He tethered me to himself and threw me towards the void. I wasn't aware of the tether until it caught me short and he used it to pull me back to him.

                             "That was the second attempt at teaching me. A miscalculation in his first attempt and an unfortunate distraction ended with me in the depths of the ocean. I was of course rescued before I was devoured but that attempt made me even more fearful and reluctant to attempt flight. As did the second. They began referring to me as the broken seraph, partly as a dig at Gabriel, and waited for me to die. Even after I finally flew, that's how I was remembered until I was forgotten again."

                              "Brothers." Sam rolls his eyes. "What did finally work? Patience? A little more time?"

                              "One of the younger ones, wings still underdeveloped, wandered off and fell. There was no time to call for help, I just leapt after him and managed to save us both. Obviously I wasn't able to maintain flight for long, but when my wings faltered, Gabriel was there, holding us both. He'd been right there, hidden from sight the entire time."

                              "He used the baby angel as bait?" Sam feels a bit surprised at this.

                              "Yes. His brother's were not pleased. He was banned from the garden temporarily, under Michael's authority."

                              "I'm starting to think Gabriel the trickster wasn't so far off from Gabriel the archangel as I'd like to believe." Sam shakes his head. the archangels never seemed all that concerned about the lesser angels but this is something else entirely.

                              "Balthazar was never in danger. Neither was I. Gabriel was there the whole time. It was the issue of deception that was the main concern. Michael and Raphael knew that Angels had died trying to learn to fly using other means, so the risk to us wasn't really too big of a concern."

                               "I assume Lucifer didn't care either way."

                               "Lucifer had less interaction with us. He held the throne room when our father was engaged in creation, and later, after the first seven days, directed the evolution of the earth. We saw little of him outside a few training demonstrations with Michael and the Leviathan war. He was something of a celebrety, I suppose. The most distant, the most beautiful. Only the other archangels were very close to him. Gabriel the most. In fact that was part of the argument, that Lucifer had taught him to lie."

                             "It wasn't a bad lie, though. I mean, he deceived you but he did it to help you fly and ultimately save your life, right?" Sam feels a bit odd at finding himself defending the angel, but though a little extreme, it was obviously well intended.

                             "That was Lucifer's argument. But Gabriel was still forbidden to enter both the garden and the throne room until Father returned. Which was ironic as punishment usually consisted of being confined to the garden for a period of time. Of course, Gabriel, while the youngest of them, was no where near a fledgeling so punishing him as one wouldn't have been appropriate."

                             "True enough." Sam has to smile at the thought of a young Gabriel being grounded by his older brother.

                             "Gabriel was actually the first archangel to be officially punished in any fashion, now that I think of it."

                             "Honestly, I would have expected that to be Lucifer." Sam frowns.

                             "The transgressor is never the first to be harmed by his transgressions. At best he's the last. Father did lift the bans on his return, though. for some reason the abyss was also moved at that time. We no longer know where it is. The reapers do of course, but it's a closely guarded secret."

                             "Huh." Sam looks down for a moment. "I never really thought about life in the beginning. Before us, before people."

'                            "It was for the greater part of existence. It was for almost six days. This is only the beginning of the ninth. Humanity is so new. In many ways as a species you're still just children. Thought individually you're often far more mature."

                             "Some more so than others." But thank you for telling me this, Cas. I have no Idea why you did, but it means alot to me that you'd share such a personal memory with me. It's funny hearing tales about a friends childhood days. You can see what parts have always been part of their personality. Such as Gabriel tricking people to teach them lessons."Or Cas throwing him in harms way for the sake of loved ones.

                             "I'm glad you're more appreciative of Gabriel's actions than I was at the time. I never really got over my distrust of him and the other archangels by default. It made me hesitant, and questioning. It's likely why these memories were erased. It didn't completely erase the effects of them, though."

                              "What did Dean think about that?"

                              "I haven't told him this particular anecdote." Castiel confesses, looking a bit embarrassed for some reason.

                              "Why not? He'd get a kick out of it I'm sure."

                              "I don't think he has the appropriate frame of reference to properly appreciate it."

                              "True, he doesn't quite understand what it means to be a little brother." Sam keeps himself from laughing.

                              "That and you also experienced an embarassing delay in your body's mature functioning, so I correctly assumed you wouldn't mock my prolonged flightlessness. I thank you for not doing so." He sounds releived, making Sam glad he didn't let himself laugh, Cas might have thought he was laughing at him, though he's not sure why being a late flyer would be so embarrassing.

                              "Don't mention.... wait." Sam realizes what Cas was referring to and feels his cheeks turn red. "He told you about that? Why?"

                              "We were discussing laundry."

                              "Oh my god," Sam covers his face, silently vowing to kill his brother before his own demise, or at least take him down with him. "In my defense, there were actually monsters in my room sometimes making getting out of bed and away from the salt circle and protections to go to the bathroom a far more daunting prospect."

                             "Yes, and in mine, leviathans swarmed the deep so a reluctance to venture out over and possibly fall into their domain was a reasonable thing to feel."

                             "And you actually did fall into the water with them?"

                             "Yes. I lost several feathers. While I was protected by Gabriel at the expense of many more of his own, I developed an intense irrational dislike of the ocean." This explaining his reluctance to enter it even when he knew Dean was in trouble, though it makes it even more meaningful than it already was that he entered anyway.

                             "Clowns." Sam nods,

                             "I don't follow."

                             "I have an intense irrational dislike of clowns."

                             "Yes, I remember. I always wondered. What exactly do clowns do that frighten you?"

                             "Nothing, usually. They're supposed to be funny. But they aren't. Not even slightly." he tightens his lips at the thought. Also, there were a few times that clowns tried to kill him, but that was as an adult and not the source of the fear itself.

                             "I understand."

                             "You do?"

                             "Not all of Gabriel's attempts at amusing us were actually amusing." Castiel grimaces. Sam's not sure he wants to know.

                             "The other archangels were better at playing with you then?"

                             "None of them tried. Michael was the commander and has his hands full not only training us but managing the other archangels. Raphael spend most of his time directly training the ones of us that trailed behind and healing the worst injuries, when he wasn't doing that he was assisting Michael. Lucifer ruled all other aspects of heaven in God's absences during creationg. Gabriel was simply a messenger without enough messages to deliver. He was often very bored which frequently led to chaos."

                             "Do any of you deal well with a lack of direction?" Sam has to ask as it certainly doesn't seem like it.

                              "Some better than others." Castiel smiles slightly. "We were raised as soldiers, followers, breaking out of that is difficult."

                              "One question though, what exactly was this abyss you mentioned? I know it's where the empty is, but beyond that."

                              "Part of the nothing that existed before creation. The empty, oblivion. It was once larger than it is now. The angels also once knew where it was. But it was hidden long before the creation of man. We angels believe that when we die, we're returned to it. As are demons, pagan gods, monsters in purgatory. all the lost souls and any who have no souls return to the empty."

                               "So the empty is actually a physical place? Or at least has an entry point you know of."

                               "I can't speculate on it's nature but that seems likely." Cas considers it. "Can nothing exist in a place? wouldn't the fact that it had perameters define it as something? Or would nothing by virtue of having no form shape or substance be of neccessity, nowhere."

                               "And if it's where everything came from and things return to,it can't be completely empty. Like bottomless pits in caves aren't bottomless just very deep. What if you actually were thrown into it but didn't realize it? If you were and were anchored, tethered to this reality, maybe that's a clue as well. Why regain this particular memory now? With the tshirts and everything, maybe it's connected." The light of hope shining in Sam's eyes prevents Castiel from further argument. It only because it sparks a bit of it in himself that he doesn't want to put too much faith in and arguing might make it grow, making him more devestated when it's lost.

                              "You may be right." He says cautiously. "But we can't be certain. Nothing is ever what we initially presume it to be. I don't see why this should be any different."

                              "Isn't that the truth, but you know what. You and Dean you always come through, for me, for each other. Every time. I have faith in the both of you and I'm feeling happier than I have in a while. I'm not entirely sure why, but I don't feel like questioning it right now." Sam shrugs, a smile still tugging at his lips.

                              "You're right." Castiel concedes the discussion, burying his doubts. "It will be very unpleasant shortly, so such innocent pleasures should be enjoyed without hesitation." He not so subtly refers to Babe. Sam just sighs and rolls his eyes.

                              An innocent pleasure though. That's the truth of it. Innocent pleasure. Being sung to sleep in a sunlit park by a lovely young woman stroking your hair as you lay with her head in her lap. It's almost victorian.  Though the thought of Babe in one of those frilly dresses or a bustle with a hat gloves and parasol makes him almost laugh.

                             "The pictures Dean requested turned out very well. Would you like me to send them to your phone as well?" Castiel takes his phone out.

                             "Wait, what?" Sam refocuses. "What pictures?"

                             "You were both asleep so I asked him if I should wake you. When I described the scene he asked for pictures. She awoke before he could reply, though he did end up saying not to."

                              "You already sent them to him?" Sam sounds irritated, confusing Castiel.

                              "Did I do something wrong?"

                              "Not exactly. It's... we're not on vacation anymore, though, so you really need to ask the persons you're taking a picture of before you take one or at least before you share it. Especially if you don't know them, like Babe."  He looks over the picture. The way the sunlight illuminates the scene is almost poetic. Especially the way it makes Babe's light golden brown hair seem to glow. "You may as well send me a copy. Just please don't tell Dean that you did. I'm going to catch enough grief for this as it is." he pleads, hoping Cas understands.

                               "Why would you catch greif?" And of course he doesn't.

                               Sam's about to ask what Castiel's brothers do when they think you have a crush on someone, before he remembers exactly what they've done. Definitely not something he wants to bring up.

                               "Well... you know." He shrugs. Fortunately Castiel takes the vaguery of the comment as a sign that asking further is pointless, as Sam is perfectly capable of giving a clear and articulate explanation when he wants to. He'll just have to make Dean promise not to give him grief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Interestingly enough, one of the few stories in norse mythology that puts Loki in a good light is one of him saving a kids butt from the consequences of a deal his father made. So apparently he always had a soft spot for kids.


	11. Humilitas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Dean start to make a plan  
> Castiel starts storytelling in the garden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Humilitas (Latin)  
> Humility  
> Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less. It is a spirit of self examination. suspicion towards yourself and charity towards others you disagree with. Modest behavior, selflessness, and the giving of respect. The courage of the heart necessary to Undertake tasks which are difficult, tedious or unglamorous and to graciously accept the sacrifices involved. Reverence for those who have wisdom and those who selflessly teach in love. Giving credit where credit is due, not unfairly glorifying yourself. Being faithful to promises, no matter how big or small they may be. Refraining from despair, the abiliity to confront fear and uncertainty or intimidation.
> 
> Credit to Wikipedia :)

             "I think I found something." Sam speaks into the phone as soon as it's answered. "One of several somethings."

             "What?" Dean's tired voice is somewhat confused. "Sam? What time is it?"

             "It's the time you insisted I call you which is 'as soon as I think I've found something important no matter what time of day or night it is. I mean it, Sammy, the clock is ticking.' That time." He repeats sounding a bit too happy at actually getting to follow through at the most inconveniencing hour. Though that's probably just the exhaustion talking.

             "I did say that. Wait, you found something? What? What is it?" He sounds much more alert now.

             "So get this, I found four more treatise on filling the emptiness inside with a life of virtue and a text on the nature of oblivion. It states a theory that the empty, exactly as the reaper called it, is a large scale version of a small scale event, namely the lack of purpose and meaning that gives you a sense of emptiness inside. that happens in creation all the time, large conflicts copied small. Like the apocolypse, the way the major battles in the civil war in heaven were echoed by battles here on eart. or even how planets share the the shapes of atoms. The stock market each day mimics the pattern of the stock market in a year. A Crag of mountain shares the same shape as the mountain itself. And basically it's saying that oblivion is to be approached in the same manner as an individual like deemed empty and void of meaning."

            "And with four treatise, that makes a total of seven all saying the same thing. Fill the empty with virtue? But how do you.."Dean's attempt to get up and over to the library cumulates in him tripping on his sheets and dropping the phone on the bunker floor. And of course it breaks apart as soon as it hits the concrete sending the battery flying under his bed.

            "Dean?"Sam asks at the clattering just before the call goes dead. It's not unexpected though. Dean's newest phone is a peice of crap. "I told you to at least get a samsung." Sam sighs at the phone and puts it down, before looking back to his notes.

            "You're up late." Babe stretches out on the sleeper couch by the window. "Or are you up early?"

            "I'm not sure. I forgot you were still here for a minute. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." He puts his phone down.

            "I didn't mean to fall asleep. I had a date. Whoops. well, if a dying friends bedside doesn't trump dinner plans, he's not empathetic enough to fuck."

            "Dropping the f-bomb kind of casually there, huh." Sam teases her, it's a little disconcerting sometimes all the profanity that comes out of that pretty little mouth.

            "Well, I'm sorry, but while calling you my playmate is more accurate, in terms of vocabulary and straight forwards definitions, in terms of comprehension it would just lead to an even more falso conclution. Sometimes you have to lie to tell people the truth, Sampaguita." She pats his head.

            "Not the f-word I was referring to."

            "Hopefully he'll forgive me. This one's got real potential, a great sense of humor. You kind of have to have a sense of humor to date me."

            "Oh, don't be so hard on yourself." This just gets his a dirty look, that doesn't make it any less funny to him.

            "I'm going back to my apartment. If you're up before I come back, order me breakfast. If you aren't I'll order yours." She picks up her purse, pausing to stretch again.

            "You're not working?"

            "I'm on call. Bye, honey bunches." She gives him an eskimo kiss for the sake of the still skeptical shift nurse who doesn't believe that they're engaged, which they aren't, even though they've said so repeatedly with Dean chewing the stall out over the phone for not letting his beloved future sister in law stay past official visiting hours. She often works odd hours and would rarely get to see him otherwise. Of course it took a threat of Sam sharing his own stories of embarrassingly dirtied sheets with Castiel, to get Dean not to rub it in or make jokes.

            "Night, Babe."

           "You really do need your sleep, mr. Singer." She tsks him on her way out the door.

           "I'll get it when... hello?" He grabs the phone as it rings.

            "Sorry, I dropped the POS cellphone." Dean growls at it.  "What was that about filling the empty with virtue?"

            "You said that, but yes, one of the books referenced is actually a guide for creating consecrated wines. Not very helpful as it's noticed that most of the ingredients are long since extinct. What consecrated wines have to do with biblical virtues, I'm not entirely sure."

            "Right? At the very least a wine of temperance might be a bit of a problem."

            "I need to get back into the bunker." Sam sighs, rubbing his tired eyes.

            "No, you need to go to sleep. I'll scour the library for whatever you need it scoured for and bring you the books or something. So what should I be looking for?"

            "Anything about the seven virtues, or vices, specifically rituals. If you come across any references to the abyss, oblivion, the empty, mark it. No matter how trivial, and bring it back up here for me."

            "Alright. You get some sleep. None of this does us any good if you run yourself into an early grave to get it, understood?" Mother Dean scolds him.

            "So I don't have to call you with news at any and all hours of the day?" Sam teases.

            "Yes, you little shit, you absolutely do, but that doesn't mean staying up all hours of the night to get it."Dean snaps. "Now get some sleep."

            "Goodnight, Dean."

            "Yeah, good morning." His brother grumbles and hangs up.

          

             "Hey!" Claire smiles as Babe for some reason, pauses awkwardly at the entrance to the room. "Bree! Have you met Castiel?" She goes to drag the woman inside, but stops as she sees the apprehensive look on her face. "It's okay. He's cool, kind of. You missed him at the cook out."

             "I'll come back." she turns to go.

             "No, we're done." Sam doesn't look up from the drawing spread out in front of him, though it would sell the lie a bit more effectively. "Pretty much." He leans back covering his eyes. "Just give me a minute."

             "What.."Babe begins, almost rushing in as she sees a corner of it.

             "This is a drawing of the edge of the abyss as seen by human eyes." Castiel points to the seven altars mirroring the half circle crevice.

             "Are those basins, bowls or cups?" Claire asks.

             "I'm uncertain. There's no scale. however they are clearly containers, giving weight to the idea of consecrated wines."

             "What are you planning?" Bree frowns at the paper.

             "We are attempting to retrieve Death from oblivion." Castiel informs her. "If we retrieve Death, the reapers will allow Dean and Sam's souls to pass into heaven when they die."

             "Right, because Dean killed Death and he and Sam are getting tossed into the abyss as punishment." Babe recalls what Sam told her tonelessly, still staring at the picture.

             "Precisely."

             "So you're what? Going to toss someone in and have him find Death? Then what? Yank on a bungee to snap them back out?"

             "That is the essence of the plan yes."

             "That's insane!" Babe protests. "It's the dumbest, most reckless... anything that I've ever heard of!"

             "That's actually the good plan."Claire commentss dryly. "They were considering trying to fill the empty."

             "Retreiving one item is far more feasable. And filling oneself allows for multiple attempts." Castiel looks at Babe a bit oddly in Claire's view but Sam seems to accept it.

             "Not to mention," Sam interjects, "We don't know what filling it would actually end up doing. Castiel is convinced the empty is binary, either having everything or nothing. So filling it may just end up pulling everything in existence back inside it. While I don't agree, it's certainly possible. And I really don't have it in me to help cause and start another apocalyptic event."

              "You didn't cause it, Sam, everyone manipulating and manuevering you and your brother did." She reassures him, but that just reminds Sam that she's woefully out of date with everything that happened since then.

              "Agreed." Castiel nods. "To both of your statements."

              "That's... remarkably mature and balanced, though." Babe sounds so suspicious, you'd think she's known them longer than she actually has to have such insight into their characters. "You can't just browbeat the reapers into compliance? Or at least the one that comes for you."

              "No. There are too many of them. It would be a war who's aim would be lost at the first casualty. We are not going to be making the same mistakes all over again. No more risking the entire world for one person. No matter how important."

              "Everyone feels the same way?" Babe asks, her voice full of disbelief. "Even Dean?'

              "We're determined to hold our promises this time." Castiel takes back the drawing, rolling it up as he does so. "How we feel about it is irrellevant."

              "How do you know you can tether someone and put them into the emptiness and successfully pull them out instead of just being sucked in yourself? It would take a hell of an anchor, wouldn't it?"

              "We don't know." Castiel answers her simply.

              "It's a suicide pact, Castiel. You can't actually be considering this!" Claire is a bit surprised that Babe's addressing Castiel with this, and not Sam. But maybe she just doesn't want to fight with Sam.

               "It's penance." Castiel says softly. Claire doesn't exactly like the sound of that, and neither does, Babe.

               "Penance... Not for you. Not for Sam. What the fuck did you two do? Isn't the whole issue regarding the fact that someone killed Death? Someone who isn't either of you?"

                "Hey, Bree, c'mon." Claire tugs on her sleeve. "I know we weren't going to go to the club until later, but there's this really high end gallery you need to see. I  was just about to call you about it, actually. It's interactive, you can destroy things, it's fantastic."

                "You should go." Castiel says just as softly, though there's a bit of a hardness to his eyes and his tone that makes the statement slightly hostile.

                "Make sure he eats." Babe turns and walks out of the hospital room.

                "What the hell was that about?" Claire whacks his arm.

                "It's complicated. What do you need with a club? Are you hunting? Do you require some assistance?" Castiel inquires.

                "No, a club's a place to go sing and dance and drink. Just recreation." Claire shrugs.

                "She can't drink alcohol. It's dangerous for diabetics. I am also unsure how she'll dance with only one leg, as it's much more complicated than walking. But please do encourage her to sing if the chance arises." Castiel nods his approval.

                "Okay?" Claire looks over to Sam who's been awfully silent only to see he's actually fallen asleep. For the first time she's starting to question the certainty of his survival.

               "Reassure Gabrielle that I will make certain he eats."

               "He's going to be fine, right?  You're all going to be alright." Castiel responds to this with a not-as-reassuring-as-intended-to-be hand on her shoulder.

               "This is not, as she suggests, a suicide pact." He turns to gather the books and papers together. "We have faced more impossible tasks than this. Suceeded in more. She knows nothing of what she speaks."

               "Well, no, I suppose not." Claire looks at him oddly. "She has been in a coma for almost a decade. I wasn't suggesting she knew better than you."

               "Of course not."  But he still looks visibly agitated.

               "Are you okay?" Claire bends to get a better look at his face. He does look a bit more upset than he was before. "I can stay and help you tidy up if you want."

               "I'm fine, Claire. And no, but thank you."

               "Alright." She shrugs and puts her hands in her jacket pockets. "I'll be checking in later so.."She looks back to the hall.

               "Have a good time. Take pictures."

               "Sure." Claire can't help but grin at the suggestion. "We'll do that. You take it easy, too. Okay? You've got this. You always do."

               "Thank you, Claire." His grateful smile, reassures her and she runs out after Babe.

 

                Castiel sits quietly in the garden, the soft feathery grasses gently rippling in and on themselves with his every movement. At the edges, an angel slowly approaches him.

                "Excuse me." She says timidly.

                "Amitiel." Castiel nods and motions for her to sit.

                "I'm not bothering you, am I?" she makes sure as she sits down close to him but not too close.

                "No." He replies looking at the soothing motions. Amitiel draws her limbs to her, enfolding herself in her wings. "Is there something I can help you with?"

                "No. I just heard someone reset the garden. I wanted to consider it for a while. I thought it never returned to this one."

                "It seems you need a fledgeling for it to do so." Castiel tightens his lips. Joshua was not sparing when he informed him of this. He seemed to find it amusing in fact.

                "Oh." They sit in silence for a few more minutes. "It is relaxing, very soothing. I've missed it, feeling so safe..." her voice trails off.

                "Are you afraid of something? Are you certain there's nothing I can do for you?" He asks his sister gently.

                "No. It's just hard now. Heaven used to be a place of truth or at least certainty.  Now nobody's certain of anything and while they don't know what's true, they aren't exactly lying. What they say.... it's odd, like crunching ice. My vessel liked crunching ice." She confides, she was one who just entered a vessel and hid, like gadreel, content to just watch unless she needed saving. "I didn't. It tasted like uncertainty."

                 "It must be hard for an angel of truth to be around such confusion."

                 "It is. I don't know what's true myself. I know that I don't know any of my siblings as well as I thought I did. I know that I'm very lonely. I know that opinions people believe are indistiguishable from truth even if they're based entirely on falsehoods and misconceptions. Everyone I was close to is dead or lost and fallen. Many were killed by you, when you were wharped by the leviathan but many more were lost ages ago and are just now returning to memory. I don't know why." She heaves a heavy sigh.

              "I should hate you, or resent you as so many of us still kind of do, but for some reason you're as much a comfort to me as the garden right now. You speak honestly. Often directly. Lucifer was never honest, even when speaking the truth. So I know that he's gone from you, even if other's aren't entirely sure. You're still Castiel. I trust you, but you still frighten me." she confesses, making Castiel's heart sink a little.

               "I don't wish to. All I want is to help repair the damage I've caused and keep safe the ones I love. I know I've been less of a brother than I should have been, but I am trying. If you all wish me to stay away... I am only here because it was impressed on me that I was wanted, or at least needed."

               "I can't speak for everyone." Amitiel looks down at her hands. "But I'd rather you stay. I'm tired of loosing siblings, even those I don't know well. Even those who may not know me. I just want us to be a family again. I think most of us feel that way."

               "I do as well." Castiel reassures her. "I always did, though I was often forced to choose between heaven and what I thought was right. I used to think I knew the answers, but I don't. Everything I have learned has been through failure after failure, at such enormous cost to everyone around me. I regret every injury I caused you and any of our brethren. Even now, I have more choices and decisions and the consequences of failing further are never far from my mind."

               "I don't know why you don't know what you'll do. You'll choose the winchesters. Every time no matter what. Though you truly do believe it to be a debate."

               "They're my family, too. And it's never really that simple or easy a choice."

               "How are they your family more than we are? What did we do to make you turn your back on us." She demands.

               "I never turned my back on you. Any of you. You were always the ones turning from me. Sam and Dean love me and I love them. And not because it was ordained, or because we happened to be made in the same batch. It's because they see something in me, something worthwhile, even when I don't see it myself. Something valuable, forgiveable, redeemable. The same as the things I see in them. They've sacrificed and refused to sacrifice for my sake. It's a terribly complicated tempestuous thing. Imperfect and perfect all at once."

               "I don't understand." Her voice piques in frustration. "Your our brother and you don't feel that way about us."

               "Of course I do." Castiel gently places his hand between her wings, stroking her back to sooth her agitation. "That's why I'm here."

               "You're here, then gone again. You don't stay."

               "I don't stay with them either. And I come back."

               "And if you demanded you never came back to us at all? What then?"

               "I would still come back unless I had a reason that would keep me away without them asking. Such as being condemned and rejected for being who I am, loving who I love, or the mistakes I've made. But they would never ask. In fact they feel quite clearly that I have no obligation to any of you and would in fact prefer me to stay with them always. But they understand my feelings and support my decision and in fact are doing what they can to assist my efforts. I can't say that you would like them if you knew them, but if you did truly know them as I do, none of you would think so badly of them as you do."

                "I see." Amitiel heaves a heavy sigh."It's honestly, and true, but not comforting, what you just said." she clarifies.

                "Did you want me to lie?"

                "No. Not unless you could like the same way humans do. The lies I actually enjoyed were like crunching ice but sweet and flavorful, like a few of gabriels lessons."She looks so wistful. It takes a moment for Castiel to realize what she means.

                 "You mean the stories. Gabriel's stories. Most of them were human stories he picked up on his messages it turns out. I don't know any myself. My only stories are true, if admittedly biased. Often what I believed to be true at the time wasn't. My stories would likely be more bitter than sweet." He considers. "I could try to find good stories for you when I'm back on earth."

                 "I know you must have stories you find sweet." She corrects him, almost chiding him for the almost lie, scooting closer. "It doesn't have to be a long one."

                 "I believe I can do that. There is a sweet moment from not very long ago, when I was invited to go on vacation."

 

                 "But... he was yelling at you and ordering you around. And they both lied to your face. And I don't understand why an archangel would tolerate being scolded like a wayward fledgling, even if he is a... new one."

                 "Yes." Castiel smiles broadly, in part at her use of diplomacy, calling him new instead of an infant, which he clearly is. Or at least enough of one to bring back the garden nursery."I suppose you have to now them alot better."

                 "It was a very frivolous claim on your time. It makes no sense at all. What did they want from you and why did it take precidence over whatever awaited you in heaven?"

                "They wished for my company. They wished for me to heal my hurts with them. They wished to enjoy pleasant things and for me to enjoy them with them."

                "Pleasant things? You mean, hedonism?" Before he even answers, she can see how much the question annoys him.

                "No. Perhaps my photo album would provide better examples. If it translates to this plain."

                "What's a photo album?"

                "It's a book of images which are pieces of a person's memory. It's tangible, what they used to use to display pictures before they could put them on the internet. It takes a three dimensional experience and makes it two dimensional so it can be easily shared with others. Unfortunately it has to be made at the time the memory occurs using a small device so it's scope is very limited." So much so that there are frequently times where he finds himself wishing he had had his camera or had been taking pictures.

                "How do they do that?"

                "Cobbling together the scraps of physical law, and chemisty. It's quite impressive. Much like creating a functional tank out of lego's."

                "What are legos?" It's odd what a clear picture she's making of her host, by all the things she didn't learn from her.

                "Small plastic interlocking bricks that cause immense pain and discomfort when trodden upon."

                "I'm sorry, I'm just becoming more and more confused." She confesses helplessly.

                "Believe me, I understand. The very language I speak to them with didn't exist a thousand years ago and changes constantly even between generations.It's likely everything I show you will be obsolete even before the turn of the century."

                "This is enjoyable? All this chaos and confusion?"

                "Yes." Castiel smiles again. So many smiles from their serious brother. This intrigues her more than anything he could possibly say, and rings of a truth she desperately wishes to learn.

                "It must be easier to navigate if you're actually human." Amitiel ventures, naively.

                "It isn't. But still more enjoyable, as well as more painful."

                "What was that like? Being human?" This is a subject he feels he can relate well, and hopefully will create a little more sympathy for humanity in the bargain.

                "It's not like just having a vessel. There's so much more to it." He begins. Amitiel's attention is rapt and makes it easy for him to relate his tale.

 

 


	12. A Helping Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Babe helps solve a transportation problem.

            "Welcome back."Dean comments as Castiel enters the hospital room.

            "Where is Sam?"

            "Pharmacy with his girlfriend."

            "Babe is not his girlfriend." Castiel corrects reproachfully.

            "Matter of time, Cas, matter of time. Take a bundle. We're dropping this and them off at Sheriff Mills and then you and I are zipping off to Egypt." Dean picks up a box of books.

            "Egypt?"

            "Yep. According to the men of letters, there's a cellar by Mt. Horeb in the monastary of st. Catherine where we can find a clay pot of this specialy consecrated wine of z- zura- ziv...."

             "Zvraah? Humility."   Cas ventures a guess.

             "Yes, that."

             "Dean. I can't zip anyone anywhere, remember?" Cas reminds him, a bit reluctantly. "And no one else can take you either."

             "Ahh, son of a bitch, that means I have to take a plane." He looks up at the ceiling for a moment, an exasperated expression on his face. "And I need to fake a passport and everything, the last one I did I had to ditch when the leviathan started tracking our old identities."

             "There a problem up here?" Babe asks as she and Sam walk back to the room.

             "No, just realizing I have to fly and get all new papers and shit first. Plus raise the money."

             "You don't like flying?" She asks. He just gets  tight lipped expression that answers her question."There are always transatlantic cruise liners. It's longer, but you're not in the air."

              "Yes, but those are also more expensive." Sam reminds her. "And we'll already need to scrape up the money for the passport."

              "No time is just as important as money, more so honestly, and flying in the quickest way.  Hours instead of days. I'll just suck it up and stock up on horse tranquilizers. Sammy, how many pills will it take to cross the atlantic?" Dean nods to the other boxes. "A little help here Babe?"

               "I don't know." Sam frowns, never having thought of the question before, though he probably should have. Babe just grins and grabs a box.

               "Pretty sure I could find you some acid that'll do the job alot cheaper and with smaller quantities." She jokes.

               "I don't believe any quantities of acid would be allowed on an airplane." Castiel informs her.

               "No, It's.. never mind." Dean starts to correct him, but decides it's not worth the conversation.

               "I was just joking, none of you chuckleheads have your heads on straight enough to handle that stuff."

               "I need to speak with you." Castiel turns to Babe, who as always stiffens whenever the angel directs his attention on her. "I'm a little concerned about certain texts and photographs sent to me regarding Claire."

                "Oh, Claire is fantastic. Ask her yourself." Babe dismisses the question, not giving a remotely acceptable reply.

                "I'm asking you, the adult whom I left in charge of her."

                "I'm not in charge of her just because I was with her. She's an adult. If she wants another tattoo she can get another tattoo. If she wants to go hoe with this cute girl from the bar, she can do that too."

                "You had a responsibility to look out for her."

                "And I did.  No one slipped roofies in her drink and she wasn't drunk for either of those events. Looking out does not mean overriding her own decisions in favor of someone elses. But all that aside, Pasha, since when do I answer to you?" The look she gives him is nothing close to freindly.

                "Woah,there." Dean quickly steps in between them as the tension suddenly reaches an unusual level of hostility. "Did something happen to Claire?"

                "No. Nothing. If you'll excuse me, I have errands to run. And remember, Samani, noon sharp. It's prepaid so there's no excuse."

                "I already said I would." Sam protests her accusing tone.

                "Because if I loose that much money on a missed appointment, I'm taking it out of somebody's hide." She gives Dean a very pointed look, for a reason he doesn't understand. "I mean it."

                "Yes, ma'am. He'll be there, wherever it is." Dean gives her a salute, though occaisionally, when she gets that certain look in her eye, he genuinely feels concerned about his safety. Especially if accompanied by a wink and a smile as it is now. He's not sure why.

                "Later, lovelies." she hands the box of books to Castiel and walks out.

                "What the hell was that about just now?" Dean looks questioningly at Castiel who looks a bit embarassed. "Is there something we should know? Is she like your ex girlfreind or something? Because that argument just now was that kind of ridiculously out of proportion."

               "No. My apologies. I have just spent a long time in the garden with some of my siblings, discovering that I am not a good storyteller. And that not everyone is as good a listener as Amitiel. My temper is a bit... frayed. I will apologize to her shortly." he sighs.

               "Is everything alright up there?" Sam asks, concerned as they head out of the hospital room for the last time that day.

               "Relatively speaking. There's no bloodshed, but much contention." Castiel tightens his lips. Family arguments can be stressful and bad enough with only one sibling. Sam can't imagine having hundreds of them to deal with.

               "That sounds kind of good actually." He tries to reassure his freind. He sounds hopeful to a degree that Castiel feels almost inappropriate.

               "The heavenly host is reduced to petty squabbling amongst themselves. I fail to see good in that."

               "But no blood shed. Cas that means you and your brothers and sisters are talking to each other. And that's a good thing. Bickering is better than stabbing."

               "Isn't that the god's honest truth." Dean can't help but smile. "You don't need to take it out on Sammy's girl, though."

               "She's not my 'girl', Dean."

               "Alright, I think I got everything from your room. And Sorry Cas, sick boy trumps heaven's babysitter for the front seat, unless of course one of you prefers to drive." Dean puts the last box of books in the trunk and dangles the keys in the air.

              "I thought you said you wouldn't be getting all mushy on me." Sam teases, grabbing the keys.

              "Really?" Deam smiles, only slightly surprised.

              "Well, I am assuming you won't let me jog home, so I'd like to do something more active than being a passenger. Even if it is just driving." He walks around to the front seat and gets in. Adjusting the seat and mirrors.

              "Have at it." Dean goes in to the back.

              "Aren't you?" Sam points to the passenger seat.

              "Can't be a back seat driver if you're not in the backseat." Dean reclines back with his hands behind his head.

              "There are quite a lot of things you can only do in the back seat and I can't exactly say I want you doing any of them while I'm driving, so..." Sam nods to the front.

              "I'll sit in the back." Castiel takes the other side.

              "You two behave yourselves now." Dean just flips him off.

              "So you're not a good storyteller, huh?" Dean looks to the angel. Who frowns sullenly at the question

              "Apparently not. I attempted to be as literal and straightforward as possible so as not to add to their confusion, but it seems there are just somethings impossible to describe if you haven't experienced it yourself. Alot of them had very limited experience in their vessels."

              "You mean, kind of like describing the color red to a blind man." Sam conjectures as he pulls out of the parking lot.

              "That's easy."  Dean says, "Red is simply 'pay attention' except you know, instead of words, in sights."

              "Pay attention?" Sam keeps himself from looking back.

              "Yeah. Everything we associate with red love, pain, blood, passion, stop lights and stop signs. All just various things that scream 'pay attention to me'." He shrugs.

              "That's.. that's true." Sam sounds a bit too astonished for Dean's liking.

              "I often forget that you are much more intelligent than you often appear to be."Castiel says appreciatively, but Dean doesn't seem too pleased with that statement either.

               "Thanks, Cas." he says dryly, just daring Sam to laugh." Home. Jeeves."

 

               "I have no idea how I'm going to get a decent passport made." Sam mutters to himself, crossing off another contact as he waits for Babe outside the spa.

              "Already got you covered, Samcake." A large paper bag plops in his lap. "Are you ready? It's almost time for our appointment."

              "What's this?"

              "Passports, papers, Egyptian pounds, visas, etc." Babe checks her watch, but they're still fifteen minutes early. "You said it was St. Catherine's right? The one by Mt. Horeb or Sinai."

               "How did you get these? And so quickly?" He asks, as the speed is the most unusual thing.

               "I lost my leg, not my brain. I have these particular sets of skills. Need to know basis. My life wasnt all playing with the litlte cherubs in the nursery you know.  Before I became so... irrevocably crippled I was even one hell of a fighter. Fourth best in the family."

               "You didn't contact anyone you knew, did you?" He feels a bit alarmed at the thought.

               "No. I love being alive, thank you. Now, c'mon." She pulls his hand to get him off the bench. "Spa day."

              "Uh.. right." he puts the notebook and paper bag in the backpack he brought with him. "You'll tell me what you did for these, right?"

              "The supernatural was not involved." her reassurance does little to reassure him. "So relax. Which you will, but only if you stop dragging your feet and give in to the luxury."

 

              "So how was it?" Dean looks up as Sam enters the cabin. "Damn, you look as good as you did horrible." And he does, while still drawn and somewhat paler than he'd like, Dean's little brother is more relaxed with the same air baby has when freshly washed and waxed. there's even a little bit of color back in his cheeks. Sam just gives him a grin. "What was this miracle appointment?"

               "A day spa." He reluctantly confesses. "Babe read about theraputic massage helping manage the side effects of chemo therapy and wanted to see how I took to it before signing up for classes. Oh, and she brought you a gift, too." He tosses his brother a large paper bag from his backpack.

               "I'm afraid to look. That chica of yours doesn't actually like me that much." Dean eyes the bag suspiciously.

               "Maybe not but calling her chica doesn't help with that. Besides, she's nice enough." Sam insists, out of pure ignorance, Dean's sure.

               "Sure, Sam. Pretend we don't interact when you're not around." Dean rolls his eyes and opens the bag. "Papers? Monopoly money?"

               "Papers like you would not believe. These will apparently not just get you to Egypt but anywhere in the middle east. It's safe to assume that most of the ancient wines are in that area." Sam says, though given the propensity for looting in all those wards and the crusades, it's just as likely to be all over asia and europe.

               "How the hell did she do this so fast?"

               "She knows how to find people who know how to do these things and quickly I guess." He shrugs.

               "I thought she was on the run with witness protection or something like that, is that safe?"

               "Well, she said she knows what she's doing, but.. honestly I'd feel better if she wasn't so helpless and alone."

               "What ever that girl is, I don't think helpless is the word. Hold on." Dean puts the bag down. "I'd gotten this for Alex's birthday but Jodie put the kaibosh on that real quick." He climbs a chair to take a box down from the very top of the cabinet. "I swapped it out for a mace, brass knuckle keychain and a mini taser and apparently that was alright." He hands the ornate Box to Sam. "If she doesn't have a gun already, this might be useful. Especially if she's involved with the underworld."

               "Huh." Sam opens it, "I'm fairly sure it the thigh holster that was the deal breaker."

               "It was a set. It's not a friggin garter, it's just made to look like one."

               "I know. I'll give it to her when I see her. I don't think she has a weapon. To be honest, she's barely managing to walk without discomfort. I keep trying to get her to go to physical therapy but she refuses."

               "So, how many dates is this, Sam? Seven? A dozen? Do all your sleepovers at the hospital count?" He teases.

               "I don't know, how do you count the times you spend off with..."

               "Hey. Don't do that. Don't change the subject. You don't exactly have a hell of a lot of time for dicking around here."

               "As opposed to when I'm not sick and am on hunts where I can die at any second? No. I get your point. Do you get mine or do I need to clarify?" Sam looks steadily at his brother, daring him to say something.

               "You're being a dumbass." Is all he says in return.

               "It's not like that. We're just... I'd call us freinds, but she says that's way too loaded a word, and there's no way I can describe it that doesn't sound like an innuendo and we're not physically involved." Sam sighs. He really prefers the word freind anyway, but it doesn't really matter. Not if it makes her uncomfortable.

               "You know," Dean takes something out of the bag. "There's a very easy way to find out." He slips out the back door. Sam frowns and tries to think what Dean could have... no... Sam checks his pockets before remembering he put his phone in his backpack to put in the locker when he changed into the spa robe. It must have fallen in the paper back. He races out after his brother, hoping he didn't get too much of a head start.

               "What are you doing? Is that my phone?" He grabs at his brother's boot as he pulls himself up onto the roof. But the boot just comes off in his hands.

               "Babe." he narrates as he types. "Do you like me? Yes or no." Sam throws his boot at him and misses, but Dean catches it before it falls nad puts it on again.

               "Thanks."

               "Dean I swear to god is you're actually doing this...."

               "She said, well, texted 'of course you dumb ass. What's up?' okay, well true, but does she like like you. That's a question. 'Do you like me or like like me?' "

               "This isn't funny, Dean." Sam looks around and sees an old ladder by the wood pile. "I will fucking hurt you." He goes to retreive it. Unfortunately his strength is no longer what it used to be.

               "'Does this answer your question?'" Dean reads aloud. "Oh, it's a picture, still loading, but..." He bursts out laughing so hard that Sam's vision of murdering his brother are cut off by the sound of a loose tile being dislodged and... "Oh, shit!"

                He turns back just in time to see Dean grab hold of and break off a section of the gutter, landing on the compost heap thankfully beneath him. Or more accurately half on the heap and half on the stack of kindling next to it. This of course breaks the fencing between the two.

                "Dean!" Sam quickly runs back to his fallen brother.

                "It's okay." Dean winces, putting a hand to his backside. "My ass broke my fall. Thank god she used rails instead of pikes, right?" He grins but winces as he tries to move his left shoulder.

                "Where's my phone." Sam coldly demands as soon as he sees his brother's not hurt.

                "I dropped it. A little help with the shoulder?" But he's ignored as Sam searches the area for his phone.

                "Hey!" they hear from the woods and look up to see Claire and Cas running towards them, holding bags of apples in their hands.

                "Dean, what happened? You're bleeding." Castiel puts the apples down and goes to touch the bleeding jag on his arm, but stops himself.

                "I'm fine. If you could help me pop my shoulder back in place, it would be helpful, seeing as someone's busy throwing a bitch fit right now."  Dean glances over to his brother who just ignores him.

                "I can't. I still haven't gotten it right with animals yet." Castiel finds himself once again cursing at his promotion. All of their gifts have turned out to be mixed blessings at best.

                "No, I mean physically. It's okay. I'll talk you through it." Dean reassures him.

                "I believe I can do so. It appears to be a simple matter of leverage." Castiel nods after a quick appraisal, taking hold of Dean's wrist and elbows.

                "You'll forgive me when you see that picture." Dean looks back over to his brother who continues to ignore him.

                 "What happened?" Claire asks coming back out of the house with the first aid kit.

                "Nothing. I just fell off the roof." Dean's explanation isn't much of an explanation at all. "It was Babe's fault."

                "It was your own damn fault and you..."Sam pauses, picking up the phone. On the miraculously undamaged screen is a head shot of Richard Roman. followed by a text. ' give your brother back his phone, you broken condom.'

                 "She sent you a Dick pic." Dean grins trying not to laugh again as Cas finishes re setting the joint. "That's it? Damn Cas, that didn't hurt at all."

                 "You're forgiven, but I'll be enjoying the thought of you on an eighteen hour flight." Sam goes back inside.

                 "That doesn't sound like forgiveness to me."Dean quips trying to ignore the terror that the knowledge of the impending flight brings up.

                 "Ms. Callisto is not here. How could it be her fault you're injured?" Cas asks examining the scene.

                  "It's not. I just laughed so hard I dislodged a tile and fell off the roof,that's all."

                  "Please tell me you weren't teasing him about Bree." Claire frowns. Dean just gives a guilty smile. "You are such an asshole."She takes her bag of apples inside. Castiel says nothing.

                  "Alright. Go ahead. Lay it on me." Dean rolls his eyes.

                  "You are misreading the situation between them."  Cas asserts. Dean just shorts.

                  "If that were true, Sam wouldn't be anywhere near this upset."

                  "You are misreading the situation, not your brother, Dean. Ms. Callisto is not interested in any sort of romantic or physical relationship with him. It's cruel to keep suggesting otherwise."

                  "Dude, you can't believe that. You don't have a thing for her do you?" This just gets him a dark somewhat offended look from the angel. Dean shakes his head and rubs his shoulder a bit. "Cas, we have papers and passports now. There was a set for you in there too. I know you can just pop over there and it's a waste of your time, but.. if you wouldn't mind..." He can't quite bring himself to finish the ridiculous request. He's a grown man he should be able to go on an airplane by himself.

                  "I am more than willing to accompany you on the flight. I intended to study first aid and emergency care techniques before we leave. Eighteen hours should be more than sufficient. You do of course have more practical experience, so your insight will be more than welcome." He offers a distraction as well.

                  "Of course." Dean smiles. "Happy to help. Thank you. Of course, first we have to prepare you for the nightmare that is airport security."

 

                  "Well shit." Dean frowns looking at the xray Babe suggested they get. It's perfectly normal except for the bright blurs that are castiel's wings, clearly showing up in the frame. "Yeah, there's no way we're getting you through security without hours of interrogation and a body cavity search."

                  "You can't just turn invisible and slip through unnoticed until you reach the gate." Babe asks.Cas just shakes his head. "But you could..." To everyone's surprise Cas becomes a living negative of himself with an added black void in the air around him where his wings are folded. He quickly turns back as Babe starts laughing, finding it hysterical for some reason.

                  "Windows to Linux." Sam gives a sympathetic grin.

                  "That was actually kind of cool. Freaky but cool." Dean can't help but feel a bit disappointed at not seeing the wings anymore.

                  "And unhelpful in remaining unnoticed."

                  "Your over thinking this." Babe turns the t.v. back on. "I'll go back to my guy, get some more papers and a uniform or two and we're set. I have to get one anyways for my errand next week. I'm flying to tiajuana so I'll get you through security. you'll need to sit together, so I'll make sure you have tickets for the original documents."

                  "Uniform?"

                 "Just watch the movie, you'll get it." She tosses Dean the dvd case.

                 "Catch me if you can?"

                 "Yup, we're going to abignale this bitch. C'mon, Sampaquita. Before the popcorn gets stale."

                 "Sam-what?" Dean raises an eyebrow as the two head back over to the couch where Babe takes her usual movie watching position, sitting on the back of the couch, by the armrest with sam's arm around her waist steadying her and using his head as an arm rest.

                 "That can't be comfortable."Dean shakes his head and goes to the back window. "Girls! Movie time." Alex looks up, allowing Claire to sweep her legs out from under her.

                  "Don't let Bree hog all the popcorn." Claire helps Alex back up

                  "Everyone has their own bowl. Beside's there's a roast in the oven for when Joidy gets home. So don't fill up."

                  "Look at you, all domestic." Claire hops back in the back door as Alex trails stiffly behind her.

                  "I'm not just a pretty face, you know." he grins, giving her a wink.

                  "I'm sure you'll make somebody an excellent wife someday." She agrees.

                  "Husband." Castiel corrects Claire before Dean can respond, handing her a bowl of popcorn."He'll make an excellent husband, not a wife."

                  "My bad." Claire quickly turns and goes to the living room to hide her amusement.

                  "You okay?" Dean offers Alex a bowl.

                  "Yeah," She scowls rubbing her back. "I almost had her this time, too."

                  "You did, when she turned and walked away. You just didn't take it."

                  "The fight was over."

                  "As it was over when she tripped you? It's not over til you win, die, or give up, kid." he pats her back tossing a snack size m'n'ms in herbowl before she heads out to the living room. "Don't share it, they're all undeserving assholes."

                  "Love you too, Deano." Babe flips him off not looking back. "But not nearly as much as I love this movie, so either shut up or take it outside."


	13. Anti-heroes for Hire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Castiel need help bringing back the wine of humility.  
> Babe goes looking for answers to the mystery of the last seven years.

             A large clay pot with large clay handles about the size of an ox stands before them between the wreakage of one and an empty whole one. All with the same inscription around the neck and seals.

             "There's no way in hell it's this easy." Dean crosses his arms standing in front of it. Castiel pushes is hand to it and looks mildly surprised.

             "This is the wine of humility."

             "No." Dean looks back up to the stairs and waves to the freindly smiling nuns. "That's not... We just walked right in here. This is unguarded in any way. They even gave us permission to take it. There's no way it's this easy."

             "It appears to be. There are no traps that i can detect, sigils, or wards of any kind. This cavern is carved out of a solid peice of granite."

             "Okay. So how much do we need?" Dean appraises the enormous jar.

             "It is impossible to determine. And I am reluctant to unseal the container before we intend to use it."

             "So... bunker?" Dean looks to Cas who returns his look with embarrassment. "We didn't really think this all the way through did we?"

             "I have not found myself to be much better transporting inorganic objects." He confesses.

             "Well, there's an empty one you can practice with. If you can get it near there in one piece, you could just carry it in, right?" Dean suggests hopefully.

             "Yes. I will return shortly." Castiel grips the handle of the empty container and disappears with it. Dean's phone rings.

             "How the hell do I have service down here?" He takes it out. "Sammy. S'up."

             "Hows the search going?"

             "Good, we found the first wine no problems. We're working on getting it home now." Dean rubs the back of his neck, hoping Sammy doesn't understand the issue. He doesn't need him worrying right now. But unfortunately his brother's too perceptive for that.

             "Crap." he hears on the other end of the line. "How did we not think about that?"

             "I don't think we were expecting it to be the size of a camel, like maybe a small wineskin or something. But not to worry, Cas is doing a practice run with an empty container so it'll be fine. How's baby doing?"

              "Fine, I guess, she's still in tiajuana. I haven't heard from her."

              "Not her. Baby, my car."

               "The impala is fine." Sam replies flatly. "Parked in the hospital garage where you left it. I'm more concerned about my friend doing possible drug trafficking south of the border."

               "Drug trafficking?"

               "What exactly do you think her errand was? To tiajuana?"

               "I don't know, but drugs are a little mundane don't you think?" Dean frowns. If she's doing anything, it has to be alot weirder than that.

               "She is human, is fairly comfortable with the criminal element. Seems to have an inexplicable amount of cash handy and is in tiajuana on an errand. I'd say drugs are a fairly safe assumption." When he spells it out it does sound reasonable, but he just doesn't see it.

                "I don't see her as being involved with drugs. It's too ordinary."

                "Really? What do you see her involved in then?" Sam challenges.

                 "I dunno. Prostitution? Porn? KGB assassin hunting old nazis?" Of course that makes him think of the Thule and that can't be good at all. It certainly wouldn't make Sam worry less.

                 "I'm going to forget you just said that." Sam's cold reply indicates the last was overlooked due to the offensiveness of the first two.

                 "Oh, but drugs are fine. Nothing degrading or immoral about being a drug mule." Dean retorts, finding the attitude even more offensive.

                 "Dean..."

                 "Right. She's an angel. Victim of circumstance and I shall never sully her name with such accusations again. Happy?"

                 "She's a baby sitter."  Sam informs him, because there are no babysitters in porn. Dean just rolls his eyes. Sure he's not crushing on her at all.

                 "Yes. Fine. How are you aside from not freaking out over a woman you're not falling in love with in any way."

                 "Good. I can even hang up the phone." The call ends.

                 "He did not just hang up on me." Dean goes to call him back and yell at him, but reconsiders dialing Babe's number instead. HE of course, just reaches a sassing sounding spanish voice mail for Gabrielle Callisto. "Hey, warrior princess, call your boyfreind before he flips out and hauls ass to tiajuana to rescue you from a cartel or whatever he's concerned has happened to you. I don't want him skipping chemo so call him or I'm asking Cas to check up on your carefree ass." Dean hangs up and rubs his eyes. "I feel like a friggin marriage counselor." In not ten minutes he receives a text in reply.

                 'Am making a movie. A very bad one. Paying for the passports. Relax.' Dean just laughs. It's porn. She's making porn.

                'Bring back copies.'

                'I'll put it in your stocking. How goes the hunt?'

                'Transportation problems'

                'Hmmm. Your angel still can't travel right?'

                'Windows to Linux'

                'Do you even know what that means?'

                'It means give him a break and back the fuck off. That's what it means.'

                'That wasn't a criticism. Why not ask another angel in the area to help with transportation?'

                'I can't do that'

                'Why not?'

                'Cas is the only angel who gives a shit about either of us.'

                'If there's a fallen angel there, you could probably pay them. I'm sure you or Castiel could find an acceptable payment.'

                'How the hell would I find a fallen angel?'

                'I don't know. How the hell would you find a regular angel? I'm just brainstorming here. Not a bad idea about the drug smuggling though. This leg's got to be good for something.'

                'Please don't. I will do anything if you don't worry Sam like that.'

                'Let me drive the impala while you're in africa.'

                'Fuck that.' the phone dies before he can send it though.

                "That bitch touches my baby she's going to loose another damn leg." Dean mutters putting the dead phone away. he looks up at the sound of the door opening to see Castiel descending the stairs. The frustrated set of his lips does not speak well for the attempt. "No luck?" A single shake of the head. "What about asking another angel for help. Not those dicks in heaven but one who stayed on earth."

                "They would flee my very approach. I do agree however that my siblings in heaven would be unwilling to assist us. They tend to view my association with you with disapproval at best."

                 "That's putting it mildly."

                 "I can't imagine any of my still fallen brethren would be inclined to help us either. Not without some sort of payment."

                 "Well, we can pay, then."

                 "Possibly, but we shouldn't be quick to give what they ask without knowing why. It may not be a price Sam would wish us to pay." Castiel asserts cautiously.

                 "Right. I almost miss dealing with demons." Dean sighs, at least there was a contract with demons that they had to abide by. No such garuntees with angels.

                 "I do not. In fact I look forwards to a task entirely free of demonic influence. I will see if there are any nearby." Castiel takes out his phone.

                 "Who can you call about this?"

                 "Sarah's father,  Azaiah. From the beach."

                 "Wait, you mean the one that tried to kill you? That angel from the beach?" Dean puts a hand over the phone. "How do you even have his phone number?"

                 "As I informed you in the hospital, there was no need for you to panic. He couldn't have harmed me. I was in no real danger." Castiel reminds him a bit reproachfully.  Dean reluctantly removes his hand."He was just protecting his daughter. His vessel was empty. The child is his own. I offered assistance. He accepted a month ago and... Azaiah. yes, this is Castiel." And of course there's a long conversation in enochian, that doesn't sound like it's going entirely the way Castiel wishes it to. "I understand. No. There's no need to apologize."

                  "Give me the phone." Dean holds out his hand. Castiel almost reluctantly hands it to him. "Dean Winchester here. Listen. I don't know what you were discussing or your answer but I want to make one thing clear. If you ever raise a hand against Cas again, I mean ever in any way shape or form, by proxy, by omission, or whatever I will hunt you down and rip your goddamn wings off, do you understand me? Help or don't help, the only reason you are still alive is because of that little girl of yours." he hands the phone back to an irritated Castiel before the fallen angel can reply. Castiel just gives a sigh and resumes the conversation. The tone becoming more hopeful this time.

                  "That was unneccesary." He chastizes Dean as soon as the conversation ends.

                  "Was he going to help?"

                  "No."

                  "Is he going to now?"

                  "No. He has however given me a name and number to contact. There is a team of trouble shooters he called them. An angel and his human companion who for a fee will aid us. Rahab, and Ardras Malaikah."

                   "Alright, let's head back to Daniela village, contact these guys and maybe take a few pictures for Sam."

                  "I have already contacted Rahab through prayer. They will meet us in an hour outside the monastary."

                  "Okay. I guess some quick pictures then. Or not." Dean corrects himself as he remembers his phone is dead. Not that they'd be decent pictures anyway. "Have you been in this area before?"

                  "Many times."

                  "Anything you'd recommend that we can do in an hour?"

                  "The museum is fairly interesting."

                  "Well, I did ask." Dean sighs. "Alright. Lead away."

 

                "I swear by all that is, Sam, if you screw up your chemo worrying about me I will take of my leg and beat you with it the second I see you again..... No...No!... by the only definition that matters, mine. All I'm doing is repaying a debt, that's all."Babe sighs and nicks her earlobe with the obsidian blade. "You are so high maintenance. seriously.... Like hell I'd risk harm for a brat like you. I happen to like my skin thank you very much. and I'm going to be staying in it." She moves the phone enough to nick the second ear without bleeding on the speaker. "I promise. No drugs. No hard drugs. Only medicinal... well, why the hell not? I'm here aren't I? you know damn well it works, too. Ow." She inadvertantly complains as she takes the opportunity to nick her tongue during Sam's drugs are bad even marijuana lecture.  And what about Sheriff Mills and the position she would be in and blah blah blah. "No, I just bit my tongue. I have to go, though, seriously.  High maintenance! Bye." She can finally shut off the phone.

                 "This is so much more painful than it used to be." She mutters and closes her eyes as she lowers the blade between her legs. Fortunately she's not asking for alot. A recent history lesson, some botany. There won't be alot of blood needed. But neither is it a good idea to be stingy so she draws the blade down her thighs as well.

                 She brushes the blood over the maguey thorns, getting not a little blood drawn from her fingers in the proccess. There's still not quite enough. with a whispered apology, Babe places the knife between her breasts and slices a line down to the end of her ribs. not too deep but deep enough to bleed. Symbolic.

                  The wind picks up and in the cages before her the butterflies grow restless and the humming birds begin to make noise. She covers her hands in her own blood and flicks her wrist, spraying the blood out to the cages. Where the droplets strike the living beings their life extinguishes in a swirl of dust. When the wind settles an amused young man sits on the altar in their place.

                 "Quetzalcoatl." Babe nods.

                 "No heart for me?"

                 "I don't have one to give." She grins. "How's Xolotl?"

                 "Gone, like all the others. I should strike you dead you old coyote." he steps down kneeling before her. "But I know why you're here and I too like my own skin. So worship me and all debts and injuries are forgiven."

                 "And if I don't?"

                 "I leave and go about my merry way and you have no answers, no solutions. I told you, I know why you're here. And who your allies are. I'd be surprised but we always did share similar tastes. Oh for the days those boys of yours would have been given up to me and been grateful for the privilege."  He sighs whistfully, a hungry look in his eyes.

                 "If you think that, you don't know as much as you think." Babe smirks, the thought of Dean and Sam willingly letting themselves be sacrificed to an aztec god. If any tried it, it'd be the last thing they'd ever do.

                 "You really think this is going to end well for you? You're forsaken, utterly. And when you die, foam upon the sea. You came to ask me favors. Virgin bloos, virgin body and think that alone erases your betrayal." He looks at her disdainfully, as if she were an unappetizing dinner placed before him.

                 "I didn't betray you." She protests. "I tried to warn you. But no one ever listens to me about my family. Never."

                 "You lied to us all."

                 "You're surprised?" Babe shakily gets to her feet.

                  "You are broken and diseased. Accepting anything from you is just pitiful. What I've been reduced to..." He just turns away in disgust.

                 "Not diseased, just.. malfunctioning. But if you think a single person sacrificed to you wasn't broken in some way, you're deluding yourself. Drugged and pampered, bribed into worshipping you. Where's the god that insisted on willing blood from his preists. I am giving you all I can afford to give and I have never had so little that's been so precious to me. I know who you are, what you are, and am standing here before you with clear eyes. Keep your forgiveness. If I worship you I want your knowledge." he slowly turns around at this, looking her over once again, tempted.

                  "You shall have it, broken and weeping at my feet, but you shall have it."

                  "Only my body breaks that easily, Coa-coa." She smacks him a kiss. The god laughs at her.

                  "That wasn't a threat. That was a warning."

 

                    The two humans just look at each other as their angels almost feircely debate off to the side.

                  "I thought you'd be bigger." Ardras finally speaks with a thick french accent, taking out a cigarrette. "I mean, you don't look like the stuff of nightmares."

                  "That depends on who's dreaming." Dean gives a rather cocky smile that seems to amuse the man.

                  "I bet it does." Ardras laughs. "Dean Winchester." he shakes his head.

                  "And who exactly are you again?"

                  "A humble pardoner and perveyor of religious relics."

                  "So a theif and a usurious fraud." Dean gives a decisive laugh and shakes his head at the frenchman.

                  "You're familiar with chaucer." The man sounds skeptical.

                  "If you're pretending theirs anything classy and highbrow about chaucer then you damn well aren't." Dean replies as Ardras takes a swig from his flask. "It's amazing what you can check out in the library before you're old enough to even look at a penthouse. The Miller's tale. Still my favorite."   Ardras gives such a loud guffaw that it momentarily interrupts the angel's conversation.

                   "Care for a drink?" the slicked back blonde offers him the flask. Dean reaches over almost automatically before pulling his hand back.

                   "Not today." He runs his fingers back through his hair, if only for something to do with them. "Thanks though. It's gorgeous out isn't it? You wouldn't think Egypt would be this cool."

                   "American." Is the muttered response to this ignorant statement. "I'll bet this is your first time out of the country."

                   "No. I went to scotland a few years ago to hold the bones of the king of hell hostage. It sucked ass but very pretty none the less."

                   "Ah. you do have the strangest bedfellows. Or so I hear." His sly look suggests he means the word bed fellows literally.

                   "What about you? You're paling around with a fallen angel." Dean refuses to take the bait.

                   "It's good for business." he shrugs. "You know, obviously, they can come in handy. If they want to. Even if they don't honestly."

                   "Okay. Then I guess the question is why the hell's an angel dicking around with you."

                   "Some reason." his laugh is starting to get on Dean's nerves. "I'm not just a pretty face."

                   "Certainly not the prettiest I've seen today."

                   "Yeah, well, next to you and blue eyes over there, who is?" He flicks the cigarette butt to the side. "So what the hell are you up to now?"

                    "It's none of your damn business that's what we're doing."

                    "Oh really? Because given your reputed tendancy to tear the world apart and put it back together again, I'd think it damn well might be. Unless that's all just hype."

                    "No world ending. Just fixing a mistake." Dean states simply.

                    "Of course." His skepticism is almost tangible.

                    "What are they arguing about? Your boy looks like he's about to pop a blood vessel." Dean grins at the angels. Castiel is as usual, an unflappable impassive statue. Rahab on the other hand is loud and animated liked a southern preacher or theatrical lawyer.

                    "They're haggling." Ardras sounds as if he didn't think even an american could be so stupid.

                    "Haggling."

                    "Yes, negociating.  Not everyone just signs on the dotted line like an idiot at the first offer." The level of disdain dripping from his voice practically begs for a beret to be shoved so far up his ass he can taste it. And this is what he'll have to work with.

                    "Awesome." Dean walks over to where the cigarette butt was flicked and crushes it thoroughly before it sets the grass on fire. he takes out his phone to check in on Sam but it's still dead.

                   "Here." Dean looks over to see an odd charger handed to him. "It's a solar charger."

                   "A solar..." he plugs his phone in and looks it over as the phone starts to charge. "Well, I'll be damned."

                   "I see it's not just your fashion sense that's hopelessly out of date." The snarky bastard souts something to his partner in french.

                   "Oui." The angel nods.

                   "If you want to keep that, it'll be fourty american." Ardras takes out another cigarette. Much to his disgust, Dean takes out and hands him fourty american dollars.

                  "Hey," Dean nods to him, catching his attention. "You toss another butt into the dry grass, I'm putting it out with your face."

                  "Dras." The angel, Rahab just looks at him and the man puts the cigarette back. "Alright, Castiel. But only because it's you."

                  "There's no other angel capable of this."

                  "Cas." Dean strides over to them. "No deals yet." Rahab just rolls his eyes and walks back to Ardras as the two discuss a few things.

                  "Please tell me we were never like that."Ardras takes his cigarette back out.

                  "You never knew your place either if that's what you're asking." Rahab takes the cigarette away as he lights it and starts smoking it himself. "Stop smoking my cigarettes before I smite you."

                   "So that's the infamous Castiel."

                   "Yeah, beloved of god, rewarded with infancy." Ardras scoffs, though in truth he's always been more than a little impressed with Castiel.

                   "He's an archangel now, isn't he? Isn't that supposed to be impressive? What does he need us for?"

                   "As impressive as a siberian tiger. He's merely a siberian tiger cub at the moment, completely untrained and unweildy. He can't even fly properly, but he was a late flyer even as a seraph so it stands to reason there's a bit of a learning curve there. But well, he can recharge my batteries,so..."

                   "Yeah? Good enough then. And that's really Dean Winchester." Rahab is not sure he likes the interested tone in Ardras' voice.

                   "Yes." he replies curtly

                   "No." Rahab has no idea why he insists on disagreeing with him.

                   "Yes. It is."

                   "I want to fight him." Of course he does.

                   "Do not."

                    "I'm going to fight him."

                    "I'm not ressurrecting your stupid ass if you pick a fight with Dean goddamn Winchester. I am not healing you either." Rahab informs him. He always does this. Always. It never fails.

                     "A gently grappling would also be acceptable." the brat considers.

                    "DO NOT!" The thunder in his voice is enough to momentarily distract Dean and Castiel from their conversation. But his partner only laughs and pulls down his hand to take a puff of the cigarette. "Do not."


	14. Angels and Pagans and Belgians! Oh My!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claire and Alex 'rescue' Babe in tiajuana  
> Dean and Sam talk  
> Ardras is an definitely idiot, but Castiel thinks Dean may be as well.

            "You bastard." Babe sobs crumpled at the bloody god's feet. He kneels and puts a hand to her cheek, taking her tears away.

            "I warned you."

            "I wasn't talking about you." She clenches her teeth. "Thank you."

            "Thank you. You were right I prefer those who give of their own free will to me. It made this broken pile of crumbs you threw at me a virtual feast. And you gave me some knowledge in return. Not many can do that. A gift for you. For that heart you can't give me." He brings up a bale of dried majiruana leaves.

            "Nothing supernatural will work." She informs him.

            "No, this is pure human labor. They are so fascinating. You take your magic away from them, they create their own." He muses much to Babe's amusement.

            "Their own?" Babe laughs. "Where exactly do you think you pagans come from?" She takes the bale, the laughter turning so bitter.

            "Bree!" The shock of hearing the voice makes her turn around.

            "How many names do you have?" Quetzalcoatl raises an eyebrow at her.

            "Enough. Claire.. back away." Babe says calmly, evenly. This doesn't look good and she doesn't want her starting something she can't finish.

            "You can't kill a god, girl." He smirks at her, just having to egg her on.

            "I've killed angels, how much harder can a god be?" Claire retorts, had she not just learned all of this, the statement would have shocked Babe to say the least.

            "Please just leave." She grabs at his leg. "You don't want to win, trust me."

            "For you lover." The god just barely vanishes before the angel blade runs him through from behind.

            "Oh, shit." Alex looks around, the blade still in her hands.

            "It's okay. He's gone." Babe reassures her. "W-what the hell are y-you t-t..." She starts to tremble. A blanket is wrapped around her shoulders as a warm can of coke is opened and put to her lips. Not a little carbonation fizzes up through her nose, but at this point it's mostly just ticklish.

            " 'What the hell' is right." Claire gathers up the items scattered around tossing Alex Bree's medication and blood testing kit. "Did you sacrifice an animal?" She sees a few charred bones in the cage and dropped feathers. "I thought you were vegetarian."

           "NO, I just have to be in the mood for murder to eat meat." Babe hugs the blanket to herself. "Baby wipes and the honey please." She holds out her hand. Alex pricks her finger before giving her the wipes, but the first wipe cleans off the cut on her chest, only to find it gone. "Awww." She smiles. "He always was a sweetie."

           "What?" Alex moves away.

           "I'm okay." Babe pats her shoulder. "I'm okay. Really, I'm okay." but as she bursts into tears again, Alex just puts her arms around her to comfort her.

           "We've got to get out of here." Claire pulls Alex up by the sleeve and hands her back the dropped blade. "I'll carry her. Let's move."

           "You'll carry her?"

           "She's four fifths of a very tiny person, I can carry that. Now scoot." Claire lifts the tired, blacket wrapped young woman and follows Alex to the car. "The door?"

           "Um, let me find another blanket..."

           "No, we've gone too far for that to make a difference. Just open the door." Babe pulls herself back out of the well of misery to see where she's being put and starts laughing.

           "You brave reckless bastards."

           "Yeah, yeah." Claire grumbles offering the drivers seat to Alex who just turns around and goes to the other side of the back seat.

           "I am so sorry. if I'd known, I would have let him kill you. It would have been so much kinder, you poor sweet stupid things." She covers her face with the blanket, the girls just glare at her.

           "We're here for you, Bree. This is Operation: Save Your Sweet Ass'. Show a little goddamn respect." Claire starts the car. The clunking makes both girls wince.

           "Yeah, one problem. My sweet ass didn't need saving." Babe wipes her eyes. "How did you find me anyway?"

           "Well, you did ask me to take care of your fish."

           "That was a joke... Wait, you went to my apartment?"

           "Yep, good old Casa Nuerotica." Alex sighs, taking out her laptop.

           "Loved the straight jacket shaped sign by the way." Claire can't help but smile. "Any way we told Jody we were going camping, hotwired the impala and came after you. Come on, Bree. Blood sacrifices to an Aztec god? What the hell?"

           "Coa-coa's not so bad. He's the god of knowledge."

           "Did you just refer to Quetzalcoatl as Coa-coa?" Alex looks up.

           "Yeah, look, you were not supposed to be involved in this. Did you take everything?" She looks back towards the site.

           "We're not smuggling a bale of marijuana. What do you..." Claire starts to snap when she sees the guilty look on Alex's face in the rearview mirror.

           "Well," Alex says slowly, "It was there...."

           "Thank god for you, kiddo. That's for Sam, Specially bred to help with chemo. And I know a lot of ways to help him now. Natural ways. Not a cure, but a help." Babe rests her head against the door. The girls in front just look at each other and don't say anything. "He is not to know about this do you understand? Promise me."

           "We promise." Claire crosses her heart.

           "Well we promise not to volunteer the information, but you know we're going to be murdered when Dean sees this car. And I can't promise not to rat you out to save my own skin." Alex says realistically and not a little unexpectedly.

           "I'll take care of this." Babe smiles. "Don't worry. Operation: Save Your Sweet Asses Right Back is a go. Besides you saved me the cost of a plane ticket home. It's the least I can do."

           "So... are you really okay?" Alex asks

           "I'll be okay."

           "What did he do to you?" She just has to keep asking questions.

           "Oh, well, what did you see?"

           "Just his hand on your head with you naked, bloody and sobbing at his feet, that's all. Nothing to cause worry or panic at all." Claire is a sarcastic little shit, though Babe understands.

           "He gave me knowledge. Answered my questions. Aside from you know, helping with chemo, I wanted to know what the hell happened while I was stuck in that coma." Babe grips the blanket tighter. What happened to them, Sam, Dean, Cas, specifically."

           "Ooohhhh." Claire wrinkles her nose, Alex just sharply inhales and looks away.

           "When we get back and I fix the car, I'm going to go build a church and then burn it down and then just keep doing that until my feelings regarding all of this are acknowledged and understood." She seethes.

           "Wouldn't that take a bit too much time away from seeing Sam?" Alex ventures diplomatically.

           "Right. I guess I'll just wait until he dies then burn down every place of worship on the earth.  Now is not the time for self indulgence."

           "Did... did you ask about the whole virtues and empty quest?"

           "He's pagan. He doesn't have access to that stuff, it's way above his pay grade. But yes, I did just in case. And no, he doesn't." Babe frowns.

           "So, no movie, huh?  You told Sam there was a movie."

           "What? Oh yes, there was. Why do you think I went for Quetzalcoatl? I was going to be in the area."

           "Isn't this mayan territory?"

           "The winged serpent was a god to many. He was Quetzalcoatl last, but still can be summoned in his old haunts." Babe explains. "Not many gods move from society to society, but he was cleverer than most."

           "So what was the movie?" Alex asks innocently.

           "Ha! Ask me again when you turn eighteen." Babe grins. "Granted I was mainly the director of choreography."

           "Choreography?"

           "Yeah, it's all about what looks best on the camera. Not what feels good. Remember that, Claire, it's an illusion. Reality is much more ridiculous, which is saying something."

           "Why are you singling me out?" Claire sounds incredibly indignant.

           "Would you rather get the 'porn is not real' talk from your fathers?"

           "Who the fuck needs that talk! And ew no." Claire looks back in the mirror. " And stop calling them that, it's weird."

           "So... it's not.. wait. Okay I know you made a porno, so which one? I want to make sure never to accidentally watch it." Alex insists, though Babe knows damn well she's not interested in porn, much less this kind.

           "Casa Erotica 3000:  Man Vs Machine. It's a cheap sci fi spin off. Lesbian cyborgs are stealing earth's women. Can one brave young man win back their affections and save the human race from extinction?" Babe uses her narrator voice. "They've asked me back for part two, Dos Machina, but I'm not sure."

           "D-dos Machina?"

           "It's a love story, love triangle. Love orgy really."

           "Oh my god." Alex covers her face.

           "You know, we have so much ammunition on you right now." Claire gives the road ahead a wicked grin.

           "You haven't even scratched the surface, Chica." Babe leans forwards to flick Claire's ear. "I did have a life pre coma. Keep your mouth shut and I'll teach you girls a few useful things."

           "Could you teach me about pagan things and magic that I don't have to sell my body or soul for?" Alex takes out her phone.

           "Yeah, it's limited, but hey, even a club is better than nothing." She shrugs.

           "What are you? Are you even human?"

           "Yes. As I have not yet obtained apotheosis, I am exactly what you see. A tiny broken malfunctioning human girl." Babe sighs. "Wake we when we reach my hotel. I should probably wash off the blood before we go through customs."

           "And put on some clothes." Claire adds.

           "That too."

 

           'Sam. Pick up. I'm sorry. Really.'

          "Hello?" Dean answers the phone. "Look, I'm sorry. I won't tease, I promise."

          "Just shut up and listen, Dean. I think I found another possible location for consecrated wine. Humility was associated with Moses and Mt Sinai, right? So I figured each location must correspond with the virtue."

          "Okay, Sammy, where are we going next?"

          "The church of St. John in Maine, Germany. It's underneath the old cathedral, basically each layer was added to and built on. Most of the thing was underground and dates back over a thousand years. They're finding more every day."

          "Germany. And what virtue would that be?"

          "Dilligence. A zealous careful nature in your actions, work, decisive work ethics, steadfastness in belief, fortitude, and the capability of not giving up. Plus it's about budgeting one's time, maintaining one's own actions, organization. A construction like that kind of speaks to the cold practicality you'd associate with.."] 

          "Germany." Dean nods.

          "With work ethics and time management." Sam corrects him with not a little irritation in his voice.

          "Alright." Dean sighs. "Hey, Oktoberfest." he brightens at the thought.

          "It's august."

          "Yeah, but still the principle remains."

          "Off the wagon then?" Sam asks dryly.

          "Bratwurst, Sam. And I'm not on a wagon. I'm not an alcoholic, I'm just... an emotional drinker. If I'm cutting back it's not because I have a problem it's because I have less of them." He protests, unconvincingly.

          "Whatever. Just don't burn down any more churches."

          "That was an anger management issue, not an alcohol one and you know it. Anyways back to what's important here, we've found some hero's for hire, they're going to help us get the wine back to the bunker in one piece."

          "I see. Well, that's good."

          "What?" Dean demands.

          "What do you mean 'what'?"

          "I know that tone. Spill it, Sam."

          "Are you sure you trust those guys with our home?"

          "Oh, hell no, I don't trust those guys. They're dicks. I'd punch that French guy in the face but his angel might take exception."

          "His angel?"

          "You heard me. Fallen angel, of course. They're 'trouble shooters' whatever that means. But hopefully that means I can come back between runs and some time in with my favorite brother." Sam almost reminds him that he's his only brother, but remembers Adam. Well, at least he's out of the cage.

          "Yeah, that'd be nice." Sam responds instead, his voice kind of trails off.

          "You okay?"

          "You know, we haven't really had a day just the two of us in a while and there are things we should talk about before it's too late." Of course he just has to bring that up.

          "Yeah, no, I know. We will, I promise." Dean rubs the back of his neck, making the promise, though there's nothing he'd rather do less than have that talk.

          "Okay, how about after this session is over. We can go fishing, have a few beers."

          "Whatever you want to do, Sam. We'll go to a damn museum if you want. So... yeah.. And take it easy alright? Don't push yourself too much. We got this you know. You just take care of yourself. You're eating, right?"

          "Dean..." Dean can practically hear him rolling his eyes.

          "Yes or no, Sam not a hard question."

          "Yes. Of course I'm eating."

          "Enough? A few pieces of lettuce aint gonna cut it, Sammy."

          "I'm hanging up now, Dean."

          "Just... eat something proteiny. That's all I'm asking."

          "Okay, I'll eat something proteiny. Good night, Dean."

          "G'night Sammy." He ends the call and just looks at the ground for a moment, thumping his phone against his hand.

          "You know." He looks up to see Ardras taking yet another cigarette. "If it makes you feel any better, I want to bash that arrogant American face of yours in as well."

          "Got any of that drink left?" Dean asks.

          "No. You'll have to settle for the second best." He takes out a different flask and tosses it over. "By the way, I'm Belgian, you ass."

          "Thanks, Hercules. I'll keep that in mind."

          "Agatha Christie now? I still don't believe you read."

          "PBS, not every motel had cable." Dean checks his phone again, debates checking in on Cas and doesn't.

          "You always struck me, from what I heard, as a more physical buff manly person. But you're really more of a pretty boy playing at being a lumber jack." Ardras puffs smoke towards the hunter.

          "Lumberjack?" But Dean just looks amused. "What are you trying to do? Pick a fight? Cause you'll need to do a little better than that. C'mon I know you can."

          "Of course, but I just want you to fight me, not murder me." The Belgian gives him a grin.

          "What?" Is the only feasible reply to that.

          "Do you have any idea how long it's been since I've had an all out, down and dirty, bloody knuckle tussle? Years. Damn angel doesn't even let anything near me. Won't fight with me himself. I'm too fragile and he can't be healing me all the time. Conserving his grace. Never mind that I'm not asking to be healed afterwards. Bastard doesn't understand a damn thing about humanity for all that he claims to love us so." Ardras snorts.

          "I'm a little out of practice myself. It's been a damn good year. For the most part, but yeah, I'm itching to have a round myself." Dean confesses. Ardras just grins and puts out his cigarette.

           

          "Dean!" He hears in the tone that's probably the closest Castiel will come to saying 'what the fuck are you doing?' The little Belgian bastard snickers a second before Dean releases him from the under the arms hands behind the head, hold and gets up off his back.

           "It was not Mr. Winchester." Rahab says dryly and goes to take hold of his companion. "What did I say to you?" Dean  dusts off his jeans, not a little embarrassed. And of course Cas is giving him an almost incredulous look that's down right completed with a shake of the head. That just makes Dean grin, though and rub the back of his neck.

           "Uh-uh," he holds up a finger as Cas opens his mouth to speak. "First rule of fight club, Cas."

            "I must attend to some matters in heaven. Please refrain from maiming our allies until I return." Ardras just laughs as the archangel disappears.

           "I apologize for my partners behavior." Rahab glared at the man beside him.

           "Don't worry about it, it was fun." He shrugs. This response gets him narrowed eyes and an unfriendly appraising look. Dean has an odd sensation like he's just been caught playing doctor with the neighbor. But the two just disappear.

 

           "Why were you fighting with Rahab's partner." Is of course the first thing he's asked when he wakes up.

           "Good morning to you, too, Cas. How was heaven?" He looks up at the angel standing above him.

          "Quarrelsome and confusing. It seems that storytelling in the garden has become the default activity between tasks. The garden has become very loud. There is also a heated debate on which century has produced the most divine musical works."

          "But no blood shed."

          "No."

          "That's a good thing." Dean reminds him, slowly sitting up and stretching his arms out before him.

          "Yes. But the garden is no longer peaceful or a place for respite."

          "I don't know, not a place of solitude but it sounds like it's heaven's family room now. This is really good, Cas. And because I wasn't actually trying to change the subject with that, Dras and I were not fighting, we were sparring. I haven't had a good fight in months. I'm getting soft." he pokes at his significantly softer mid section.

          "If you wish to train, you need only have said something."

          "Heh, yeah, no, I think I'd rather spar with someone who couldn't kick my ass six ways from sunday without a second thought."

          "How would you improve except by training with someone better?"

          "Well, I... Okay I don't really have a good answer for this... just... I don't want to fight with you, sparring or otherwise. I mean, we've hurt each other enough don't you think?"

          "So you're sparring with Ardras because..."

          "Because I half hate the smarmy bastard. Besides he feels the same way." Dean explains as best he can.

          "I see." Castiel says in that way that means he doesn't, really, but is going to let the matter go, which is good enough for Dean.

          "So, we got a new possible lead on a liquid virtue. In Germany of all places."

          "The cathedral of St. John." Cas guesses correctly.

          "You know of it?"

          "Yes, however most of it is buried beneath another church, retrieving anything from it will be a difficulty."

          "No, it's cool." Dean waves his hand, correcting him. "Apparently they've been excavating it, it's like eight floors deep or something already.  Or was two years ago. They've probably gotten further by now. So, do we call Rahab or catch a cab."

          "No one can transport you, Dean. And even if he could, We must limit his services to transporting the wine."

          "Alright. I'll see if someone at the front desk can help me arrange a flight or something. Maybe a private jet since I don't think you could pull off the pilot scam again without your little stewardess guiding you through the airport." Castiel gives a nod to concede the point "While I take care of this, do you think you could maybe go check on Sam? The girls are off camping and his girl's still south of the border. Will you be traveling with me? I want to know how many tickets to get and such."

          "I will be accompanying you. And I had intended to visit Sam today, so there's no issue. Just let me know when the flight is and I'll be there." Castiel nods and disappears again. Dean just lies back down and goes back to sleep. 

       


	15. Unpleasant Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Babe rescues the girls from Dean  
> Decides to skip out.

             "Finally," Babe stumbles into her apartment, plopping herself into the nest of pillows and blankets she calls her bed. The sign clunks against the door. "Casa, nuerotica, home sweet home."

             "Bree!" There's a panicked pounding at the door which jerks her out of a sleep she didn't realize she'd fallen into. Who on earth...

             "Oh for the love of Chuck, Claire. It's unlocked." Babe sits up.

             "He saw the car." She and Alex quickly enter.

             "Who?"

             "Castiel!" Claire closes and locks the doors.

             "What?" Babe links rubbing her eyes as the girls flit from poster to poster filling in the half done sigils on the wall.

             "We had just put it back and were saying hi to Sam, when he came and asked about it. I guess something they needed from the trunk. So when Sam told him where he'd parked it, Alex freaks out and takes off so I have to take off and you know he's going to murder us."

              "Cas?" Babe frowns not sure she heard right.

              "Dean!" Alex starts adding more sigils.

              "Those words won't keep Dean out. And they won't work on Castiel either regardless. It's not high enough level to keep out archangels. Plus he has that whole grace of god afterglow that nullifies all this mess right now." Babe buries her face in her hands. Her shoulders start to shake a little.

               "Are you laughing at us?" Claire demands.

                "No..." The denial turns into a laugh. "Ohhh, no, no,no,no." More laughter.

                "You're not a very convincing liar."

               "He's not going to... what exactly do you think he'll do to you? You're kids, the damage was an accident, and he's in europe."

               "No. I don't know. I wasn't really thinking. I can't really think, just.."Alex sits down on the bench, almost hyperventilating. Claire pats her back, handing her a paper lunch bag she just happens to be carrying around.

               "I don't know what you're so worried about. You were an accessory at best. I'm the one who stole the damn thing. I'm older besides and you know how he is about that." Claire attempts to reassure her, but the thought of just Claire getting murdered doesn't help her panic any.

               "I told you I'd take care of this. And I will. It's okay, Alex. It's okay." Babe tries to soothe her.

               "It's... she gets like this sometimes." Claire just keeps rubbing her back. "She had a really sucky family." Alex punches her leg for the unintentional pun. "Ow."

               "Oh, right. Yeah, you know what, do you trust me?" Babe takes out her phone.

               "Do we have a choice?"

                "Always." She sounds so offended, and waits until the girls nod to dial. "You have a hell of a lot of explaining to do, Dean Winchester!.... Why? Why?! Because I have a young woman here with me who's fucking terrified of you right now. What the hell did you do?.... Alex, that's who, and her sister's a little freaked out herself... That's what I'm asking you, you dickwad. Why would either of them be this afraid of you for anything less than mass murder?..... No, they didn't murder anyone. In fact they tried to help someone.... Yes!. Me.... No, I wasn't actually. It was a misunderstanding, kind of.  But those two still kicked ass. almost killed an Aztec god. You should be proud, but that still begs the question what the fuck did you do to make them more afraid of you then, Quetzalcoatl himself?... I'm waiting... uhhuh, well why don't you tell them that? I'll put you on speaker phone, But you watch yourself. Do you hear me?" Babe switches to speaker phone, giving the girls and wink and a smile. "Alright."

                "Alex, Claire, is everyone okay?"

                "Yes." They both say reluctantly.

                "So, Aztec god, huh? How did that come up?"

                "I needed knowledge. I was in the area, he's a god of knowledge.  It's not important." Babe says casually, "Now what did you want to say?"

                 "If there's some sort of problem, you don't need to be afraid to come to me. No matter what it is, I won't... well I can't say I won't be angry, but you don't have to be afraid of me. I care about you both very much. Now, spill, what went wrong and how do we fix it?"

                "Well, the impala doesn't really do well in the jungle. And they're really bad drivers in mexico, too." Claire says slowly.

                "And um, there's all that blood and ask and dirt in the back seat and stuff." Alex adds timidly.

                 Pure silence.

                 "Think he had a stroke?" Claire asks quietly. Alex shrugs. Babe tries not to laugh.

                 "You know, I can get someone to fix..."Babe volunteers

                 "Nobody is going to lay another hand on my baby, understood? Nobody. Just.. leave it where it is and I'll... take care of it. And everybody's alright? No injuries, curses, Is there any possibility you have an Aztec god on your asses right now?"

                 "No." Babe says firmly. "He left. He didn't have to but he did. It's fine. Coa-coa's not so bad."

                 "Oh, so you're on a pet name basis with pagan gods are you?" He turns his wrath on a more acceptable target.

                 "No, her blood sugars probably low. She gets all copy and drunk like..." Claire heads over to the fridge. "I am so sorry. Whatever we can do to make this up to you. And it was me, all the way. I drove, I hot wired it, Alex just refused to let me go alone, that's all."

                 "You bet your sweet ass you'll make it up to me. But you can relax, both of you. All is forgiven. Now take me off speaker phone, high preistess, I need to have a word with you."

                  "You got it, Deano." Babe turns off the phone and puts it away. "I told you I'd take care of it."

                  "I assumed it would be with some sort of lie." Claire confesses. Alex just leans back against the door, silently.

                  "Lies are so often seen through, tricks, traps, illusions, they're only good if they head to some fundamental truth. You know, white lies, like no you don't look fat in those pants or you're much prettier than she is. They're lies to convey a truth and that truth is. 'I value you so far above these petty things they have no meaning to me.' that or 'I really don't want to get into a fight right now'. Everyone thinks in absolutes and that's just not how it works. Lie, truth. It's understanding that matters."

                   "Yeah, I... I get that." Claire gives a smile and brings back the kit.

                   "So, you two going to be okay?" Babe asks.

                   "Are you?" Claire demands. Babe looks over at Alex who's not saying a word. Just sitting there, drawn in on herself.

                   "Actually, I dunno. I'm feeling kind of... oh.. if you two might be willing to keep me company, watch for any delayed side effects or what have you. We could make a night of it. Claire, think you could run a few events while I get out some movies?"

                  "Sure."

                  "ABC has a 123 pick up special. I'm feeling murderous so get me a thin crust four meat one each for you two, snacks galore. There's money in the treasure chest."

                  "Got it. The usual?" Claire asks Alex who just nods, before leaving the apartment.

                  "Go through the movies while I get myself together." Babe opens the kit.

                  "You guys pick."

                  "Well, Claire's getting the food, and i was going to have the complete and utter emotional breakdown but if you'd rather not pick the dvd's I guess we could switch." Babe checks her blood sugar and medicates appropriately.

                  "I think I've already taken care of that."

                  "Please." Babe rolls her eyes. "You simply had the most rational response in regards to that walking wmd there is."

                   "No, it wasn't. And I know it wasn't. Like I know that a missed paper or meeting a new person isn't a rational reason for a panic attack. The school, my guidance counselor wants me to see a therapist about it  but I can't see a therapist. I'm not taking medication either."She shakes her head. "Why is this happening now? I'm safe now. I survive my family for years and now I'm in a good one...?"   

                   "I know, you hold it in and then when you don't need to hold it in any more, it just comes out on it's own. It's okay. It's a very human thing. Nothing for you to be ashamed of.   It is too bad about therapy. You hunters need therapists so damn badly but well... hey why don't you become a therapist? You're smart. Go to college get a degree help the supernaturally and mentally afflicted. You know, dual diagnosis and all that."

                   "That's an idea."Alex looks up. "Have my own hotline. I'll bet people think they're crazy if they see this stuff or survive it somehow. And they don't just prey on the healthy, or the well adjusted or adults."

                   "Not anymore."

                   "What do you mean?"

                   "Well, nobody buys the ground chuck if they can get prime rib, right? Monsters ghosts, gods all twisted bits of humanity or their creations, but there's still humanity in there." Babe shrugs.

                    "That's kind of frightening."

                    "Yeah, right?" Babe grins at her. "So I guess I'll be getting my boots from the impala later?"

                   "Um, there weren't.. I thought you didn't bring them with you. I didn't..."

                   "No..." Babe groans, "That ass!" A few words Alex doesn't know. "Never worship pagan gods. It's not cool, they steal your boots and give you crappy tattoos without your permission. Apparently so yeah, Alex looks over to see Babe examine her abdomen. A winged serpent trailing down blow her belly button. Cheeky bastard."

                  "He marked you?"

                  "No, it's a gift. A pain in the ass sort of white elephant gift. But if you burn a dried out peice of human skin basing this tattoo over the proper flame, it's a summons, like a prepaid gift card or something. Good for one favor."

                   "But it's not... dried out...."

                   "Nope."

                   "So..."

                   "So, how are you with blood?" Babe grins. Alex just gives her a look. "That's the thing about pagans. It's all blood sweat and tears, as well as pretty much every other bodily fluid you can imagine. It's messy, primal. Even the least demanding parts. I'll get this later."

                   "With who's help?"

                   "I've got this."

                   "No. You're diabetic, you don't eat properly and you're still recovering from blood loss. Not to mention increased risk of infection. Since you do dumb impulsive stuff like this, I can't trust you not to do it yourself, so we'll do this now." Alex walks over to the kitchen. "Where's your first aid kit? Do you have a scalpel or where you planning on using a rusty butter knife?"

                   "Of course not. Obsidian blade. Also in the treasure chest. The box with the butterflies." Babe grabs a towel and some sandwich bags. "We'll just put it in the freezer until I get the right wood for smoking." I do not want anyone else seeing this damn thing. Especially not Big Blue Eyes." She grabs a wooden spoon to bite down on.

                   "Too late." They both give a start and turn back to see Castiel at the door. He holds out his hand to Alex who gives him the knife. "Go back to sheriff Mills. Claire is waiting for you outside."

                   "Movie nights on hold, then."Babe forces a smile. "Later."

                   "She didn't do anything." Alex says anxiously at the look on Castiel's face.

                   "It's okay, Lex. we'll be fine." She shoos Alex out the door and closes it behind her.

                   "You are not involving them in the worship of pagan gods." he says firmly, Babe looks briefly angry before she composes herself.

                   "I'm not. They're hunters, they involved their own damn selves and you know it." She coolly reminds him.

                   "They're not hunters. They're children." As if Dean and Sam weren't hunters much younger than they were.

                   "Really, Pasha? Children?"

                   "They are not prepared for beings of that magnitude. They could have been killed or worse."

                   "I can prepare them. I'm not going to let anything happen to those girls. I can teach them how to protect themselves, who to play against who, what not to do, how not to unnecessarily offend. How to kill them if it comes down to it. Leaving them ignorant won't help them and you know it." Babe argues.

                   "Why are you even here?" Castiel demands in frustration, not even giving her a chance to respong. "I respect your agency, but I will not permit you to corrupt my ward no matter how noble your intentions."

                     "Is that what you think of me? A corrupter of children?" The dismay in her voice takes him a bit aback.

                    "No. But Claire is my responsibility and I don't approve of this direction."

                     "Why do you think I went to mexico to do this? I didn't expect her to.." A laugh escapes her. "Chase after me. Oh, I love that girl, She is a wonderful girl. Alex too. Cute as buttons. But they fell into it. Long ago they fell into this and ignorance is not going to keep them safe. They're marked, their eyes are opened and all we can do is make sure they're prepared. I don't want them to find themselves in a situation they can't get out of."

                     "You can't protect them, Gabrielle. You are a broken crippled shell. If they fall you can't catch them."

                     "Fine." she raps her knuckles on the counter. "I'll stay away from them. Lord knows I don't want to give you a reason to kill me, too." This statement makes him wince. "But when they're out on their own, and they need to know something I could have taught them, I hope it's not fatal or it won't be my you'll be angry with."

                      "I'm not angry with you. And I would never kill you. I know you care about all of them just as much as I do. You would never knowingly put them in danger." Castiel says gently.

                      "I suppose it doesn't even matter what the hell I was actually trying to accomplish down there."

                      "It does."

                      "Oh." Babe turns back around, a little surprised. "I wanted knowledge. I want to know, you know if there was a way to help Sam. Help him heal, even just a little. There are alot of things that help a little. Easy human things. Um. and of course that's to help with the side effects of chemo." She nods to the bale of pot in the corner. "And I wanted to catch up on what I missed. I learned some fairly upsetting things, Castiel." She looks at him a bit angrily. He just looks away.

                      "I never wanted to do any of the things I felt I had to do. If there was any other way... I know Sam and Dean feel the same way about their errors. But they're only human, don't judge them harshly for it."He pleads on their behalf softening Babe a little.

                      "I know. I know you... What does it matter? What's done is done, right?" She crosses her arms hugging them to her body. "I couldn't fine more books, I suppose I should have taken that as a sign I shouldn't have asked.  I'm sorry. I'm... I never should... you're right. I have never made anything better. Just let me write everything down first and I'll vanish."

                      "That's not what I meant."

                      "You're right. I am a broken crippled useless shell of a human being."

                      "I never said you were useless."

                      "And so what if I turn to pagan gods, at least they actually answer. Maybe if I'd called to them instead I'd have woken sooner, in better condition. Maybe I'd still have my stupid leg."

                      "Unlikely, as it was severed in the accident."

                      "Alright. Uggh. Look I need to get this off of me. Are you good with a knife or am I doing it myself?"

                      "What do you need me to do?"

 

                       "Hey," Concerned hazel eyes greet Babe at she enters the hospital room." How was Tiajuana?" So. He knows.

                       "Hey." Babe puts down the tray of brownies. Sam gestures to the chair next to him. She just shakes her head. "So, who ratted me out?"

                       "Who do you think?" He gives a half hearted smile.

                       "I didn't involve the girls. It was just a combination of a bad joke and poor organizational skills. As in I gave Claire my spare keys in case I lost mine in Mexico, which I did. But I forgot to put my notes away. So when I joked about feeding my fish to the little hunter..." Babe sighs and puts the brownies down.

                       "No, I know. They told me."

                       "Before or after they stole the impala?"

                       "After. If they'd said something before they wouldn't have had to."

                       "Because you'd have given them the keys....?" She guesses.

                       "No, because I'd have driven them." He says firmly, making Babe more than glad that they didn't. Coa-coa would never have had a chance. And neither would she if Sam had skipped chemo to go after her. "What were you thinking?"

                        "I was thinking I wanted answers. I was in the area. I knew what I was doing. I was probably the only one who really does these days."She looks away.

                        "What answers?"

                        "I wanted to know about my friends and family. What happened to them while I was indisposed.  It was the safest way to find out about them without anyone finding out." She explains, not coming nearer, or sitting down.

                         "Why did you tell Dean what you did if you didn't want us to know, though?" He asks the same vital insightful questions he always has. Babe just has to smile at him, a bit sadly in Sam's opinion.

                         "I didn't want to put the girls in the position of having to lie about it. Not more than a lie of omission any ways. Not for my sake. I'm not a corrupter of children, not even the children who aren't really children. But they're girls and pretty ones so they'll be considered and treated as children until wrinkles appear."

                         "That's awfully cynical of you." Sam frowns at her. Of course, he wouldn't really know, being a man and only ever a man. Babe briefly wonders what a female Sam would look like.

                         "I'm not exactly feeling very optimistic these days. Desi is dead, killed in a power play by our aunt. Rafi was killed by a cousin in a coup and My big sister's in prison, locked away for life. Most of my cousins are dead.  Most of my friends have apparently either written me off or died. Quetzalcoatl was honestly the only one I could reasonably turn to for anything. He's a sleazy bastard, sure, but..."

                          "You could have come to me. For anything." But this just gets a look from Babe.

                         "You don't exactly have the greatest track record. Well, actually it's kind of a fantastic one taken over all, but it involves a lot of death and I just wanted something uncomplicated."' 

                         "Worshipping an Aztec God is uncomplicated?" Sam challenges.

                         "Pagans are fairly uncomplicated, comparatively. It was a risk. I'm not saying it wasn't. I am four fifths of a tiny broken women, not the last offering but there's the matter of free will. It's as good a spice as hunger apparently. Anyway, along with a thousand lifetimes worth of nightmares, I got some good weed out of it. Perfect for helping you manage the more unpleasant side effects. I also get a nutritional knowledge and I don't need to take lessons or spend hundreds of dollars in doing so to give you a therapeutic massage now." Babe turns the brownie tray around absent mindedly, still not taking a seat which is starting to make Sam worry a bit, before reallizing what she just said.

                         "You asked him about my lukemia?"

                          "It didn't cost anything to throw that in. Besides, my friendship with you went a long way towards keeping me alive." She smiles, Sam looks a bit taken a back at this statement.

                         "That would be a first."

                         "Quetzalcoatl is a god of knowledge. He know you who are and what happens to any one who fucks with your friends. He has a sense of humor as well. Stole my friggin boots, that asshole, but it went pretty well."

                          "A sense of humor isn't always a good thing. How sure are you that he's not going to come after you or do anything to you or the girls?"

                          "Very sure. I wouldn't have let him live if I thought he would. He could have killed us all right then, and he didn't. Honestly he probably wants me to come back and give him another willing sacrifice one day." Babe rolls her eyes.

                          "What did you sacrifice?" Sam demands.

                          "Butterflies, hummingbirds, myself. I'm not going to, obviously." Babe scowls. She might have considered it, if he didn't steal her damn boots, too. "Anyway, I just... here. If the brownies work I had Cas put the rest of the marijuana in the impala, and the recipe's here. Also everything I learned is on the drive. There's a suggested meal plan. And... I guess that's it. Babe sighs, pushing her hair back behind her ears.

                           "Wait?" Sam looks at the small envelope she hands him. "Are you leaving?"

                           "I kind of have to. Look, I don't know what I was thinking hanging around this long to begin with. If I stay, it's just going to be a bigger and bigger mess. And I've caused you guys quite enough trouble already so." Babe leans over and kisses Sam's cheek. "I guess, goodbye. Tell your brother to go fuck himself for me, and give the girls my best."

                          "Wait." Sam takes hold of her wrist. "If you want to go, go, but don't go for our own good. you've been more of a help than a hindrance and I think we both know that I'm capable of making him my life a mess all on my own without my help from you. and stop giving me things like this." He shakes the envelope.

                        "I like giving you things."

                        "I don't need them. I don't want anything that you had to sacrifice bits and pieces of yourself for, and I don't know why you think I would."

                       "You deserve good things! You think all of this as coming at some big cost to me. It's not. Not even close. I've done worse for less and you... you are a genuinely good person. And you just get dealt crap hand after crap hand, after... I didn't know what I was asking when I asked him what happened between then and now. What's happened to you. And now this... this blessing twisted into some sort of punishment or curse...."

                       "You asked about my life."

                       "Yeah, big mistake." She forces a smile.

                       "Are you okay?"

                       "You're the one who lived it and you're asking if I'm okay?" This gets a bitter laugh.

                       "I didn't have it all shoved into my head in one day. And I'm just fine." he reassures her reaching over to touch her arm but she moves away.

                       "You're dying of cancer. If that's your definition of fine, I'd really hate to see what you consider terrible"

                       "It's inconvenient, I'm not going to lie. But seriously, of all the deaths and dying I've been through, this is nothing. If it weren't for a small nephilim I never would have known I was sick until too late."

                       "It already is too late! This is going to be how you die."

                       "Probably. Like I said, it's not the worst way I've died."

                       "I don't understand you sometimes. Though, honestly, I kind of like that." Babe takes her hand back and rubs her eyes, trying to keep the tears back. "It was great really getting to know you, Sam. I'm...I'm sorry."

                       "Impractical Jokers is on." Sam nods to the tv in a last desperate attempt to make her stay, at least long enough to calm down.

                        "Oh yeah?" She looks up at the TV. "When, now?"

                       "As soon as you put the dvd in." He reaches over to one of the end table's drawers and hands her a large box, He was going to save it for her birthday, if he made it that far, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

                       "You didn't."

                       "I did."

                       "You didn't!" She snatches it from him, opening it. Sam scoots over to one side of the hospital bed, putting a few pillows down beside him as she rushes up to put the first season in. Sam breathes a light prayer of thanks for Babe's desperate distractability, and readily accepts a small brownie as soon as she's seated beside him. "These are going to be pretty potent, FYI so... you know, be sparing."

                       "If it means I can keep down a meal, that's a good thing." He puts his arm around her shoulders, holding her tightly so she can't run away. No matter what she thinks, she's not going anywhere.


	16. The Things We Do for Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean is soured on Babe  
> Goes for a night out with Ardras for a permit  
> Fights with Cas over Babe/Sam and Claire&Babe

                "Well, you wanted me to lay off the matchmaking." Dean argues into the phone. "She's dealing with pagan gods, man, you don't need that kind of trouble right now... Well never, I guess, but... dude, she almost made me apologize to the girls for them stealing my car. Now that is some fucked up... It's not funny Sam... Sam... are you high? She got you high. You.... No I wouldn't prefer that of course not... she's a bad influence, that's why..." he holds the phone away as the laughter gets even louder. "You know what we'll talk about this when you're... not high as fuck." Dean glares at the phone for a minute when Sam hangs up.

               "Baby brother running wild huh?" A familiar voice almost surprises him. "I hear dying can do that to you."Dean looks around the balcony and sees Ardras on the one beside him.

               "You're here, too? That's a coincidence."

                "Not even a little." He responds as if he didn't know Dean was being sarcastic. "With you and your partner around Rahab's loosening the apron strings, so I'm sticking to your glowing ass like white on rice."

                "You were in the train." Dan lets him know he noticed that, too. "What gives and what do you mean glowing?"

                "Shall we shout across the balcony like bickering lovers or may I come over." He takes out a cigarette.

                "Alright, but leave the cigarettes, man. I don't want them stinking up the room we might be here a few days."

                "Shouting it is." Ardras takes out a cigarette and lights it. Dean just goes back inside and takes out his leftover wurst and potatoes. Not five minutes later, there's a thud on the balcony and Dean's gun is aimed at the man almost instantly.

                 "Easy, Cowboy, I left the cigarettes." Ardras dusts himself off and saunters over to plop himself down on the bed. "Nice reflexes."

                 "What the hell's wrong with you?" Dean puts the safety back and returns the gun to his pants.

                 "Boredom, confinement, stagnation. Take your picks. So, where's your angel? He didn't come all the way on trains and buses just to leave you now, did he?"

                 "He has business in heaven. And yours?"

                 "Who the hell knows and that's fantastic. Do you know how long that bastards been by my side? A thousand years. Or damn well fells like it anyways. So where are your clothes?"

                 "I'm wearing them." He says flatly, just eating his food.

                 "No, that's not going to happen."

                 "Sorry, I left my leiderhosen in Minsk. What do you want?"

                 "I want to go have some fucking fun while I can. You have to come, but not like that. No. Absolutely not. Uchh." Ardras has to look away from him. 

                 "Are you looking to get your ass kicked again? Because if you don't get out of my luggage that is exactly what is going to happen. Hey!"

                 "Put these on." He lays out some clothes on the bed and heads over to the balcony. "I'll be back with accessories."  

                 "I'm not wearing shit. I have a break in to plan and my usual assistant is getting high with an Aztec priestess."

                 "They do have the best stuff."  A bundle of black leather items is tossed onto his balcony. "And you don't need to break into the chapel. I can get us permits. But only if you escort me to see Mein Engels at Imperial. They're a Ramstein cover band, a private event for associates of mine." Ardras climbs back over.

                 "I don't think so."

                 "Listen, you arrogant eagle fucker," Ardras grabs his collar. "I have not had a night to myself in god only knows how long and I am not spending it in this dank hellhole of a motel. I don't care if I have to drug you and wear you as a back pack we are going out tonight."

                 "What did you just call me?" Dean blinks, astonished beyond motion, as the man lets him go,. "And nothing is stopping you from going all by yourself."

                 "Nothing, but the hell hounds and a desire not to be torn to shreds by them. " Ardras picks up the bundle of leather, only to find the gun pointed at him again.  "Americans." He rolls his eyes and leans back on the railings.

                 "Start talking, buddy."

                 "I was... not so young, but stupid. Sold my soul for eternal youth."

                 "This is youth?" he motions to the thirty five or more year old man.

                 "Only an idiot wants to stay twenty for all eternity. And yes. I was a gangly bastard. Nothing hit the right places til thirty seven, oddly enough. What can I say standards of beauty shift through the centuries." He shrugs.

                  "What kind of idiot sells his soul for eternal youth. It's a ten year contract." Dean points out.

                  " First off they didn't have that rule then. It used to be just upon your death. I'm not the last to make that bargain, but I was  proof that it could be done. At first it was good pr but then hunters started making the same deal and just decimating the forces of hell, citing me as inspiration. I believe you know them as some of the more badass saints. Then this little scottish brat comes along and realizes that there was nothing in the contracts that specifically stated they had to have a natural death and started sending out hell hounds to kill those taking it a bit too far. But then demons started collecting earlier and earlier and people stopped making deals. So the same brilliant jackass, decided on ten years. Far enough away that people don't think too hard about it but not so long that hunters can do much more damage than they usually would. So, hellhounds nipping at my heels, if I so much as leave Rahab's side. I won't go to hell, they bring hell to me."

                    "But you're safe with me?" Dean goes back to his wurst as Ardras lays out the leather.

                    "You're over flowing with God's grace. Nothing demonic can come near you right now."

                    "And how do I know you're not just working for them? Another deal, to get your soul back. Approach the unapproachable in their stead." The decades long groomed paranoia rears its ugly head.

                    "That sounds like a good idea, but If I get rights to my soul back, I loose my youth. That's part of the original contract. no. I'm no more ready to die than I was all those years ago. And honestly I can't be sure they wouldn't get my soul anyway."  He shrugs, Dean refrains from agreeing by stuffing his mouth with potatoes.

                   "How long has it been since you've been able to leave your partner's side?" he asks once he swallows.

                   "Four hundred and thirty six years." Ardras says quietly, a look of tortured desperation in his suddenly pitiable brown eyes. Dean sighs and shakes his head.

                   "Alright. Give me half an hour to finish eating and dress." Dean relents. That smarmy grin comes back of course. "But you owe me."

                   "Of course." Ardras finishes unwrapping the leather straps. "You know you can't bring that thing. I don't even know how you got it here."

                   "Cas can handle carrying small objects. They only throw him off by a few more yards. Speaking of which." Dean removes the clip and lone bullet from the chamber before putting it down and grabbing his cell phone."

                   "What are you doing?"

                   "Letting my partner know where I'm going."

                   "Really... and what would happen if you didn't check in with the warden? Would he sulk? He looks like a sulker. Most angels do, though." Ardras hops onto the bed. "Do they even get reception in heaven? If so what company is it? I may need to switch carriers." Dean gives a slight laugh at this.

                   "I'm honestly surprised you lived long enough to find Rahab if you don't understand why someone might inform his back up of his whereabouts in a strange city he's never been in before."

                   "You're not asking permission?" Ardras sounds ridiculously surprised at the thought.

                  "No." Dean grabs the selected outfit from him. The incredulous 'dude we're not fucking married' look he gives Ardras makes the man re evaluate a few things.  Maybe it'll be a better night than he thought. Of course, all the gorgeous badass will wear from the chosen accessories are the spiked fingerless gloves.

                  "I know you don't speak German, so just give people that look you gave me while staring down the barrel of that gun whenever they say something you don't understand, and you'll do fine. And for the love of god, don't say you're american. We want to get out alive." Dean just ignores him and grabs as many knives as he can hide on his person. "It's not that kind of club, mon chou."

                 

Dean: Ardras in same hotel. Off to Imperial for night out to get permits 4 church

Dean: Bored as hell. They call this music, but they all seem as crazy as Dras. Must be something in the water.

Dean: I've heard the words Americans and Donald Trump uttered more than I thought I would. Is it possible to sell your soul for a presidential election?

Dean: Never mind. I forget you can't sell it more than once. If any of your siblings want a tour there are several people here who clearly no longer want control of their own bodies.

Dean: You should let Rahab know about...

Dean: That Maniac's not slowing down so I'm slipping him a mickey. Don't wake me before noon, but please try to keep Rahab from freaking out. I'm not the one who caused those bruised.

Dean: Whsuvyowear  herw dhyld xome by my briijn it'd okay if yiu wake ne,

Dean: dobt worry Avout thbeloood

Dean: JKbbe yoi

 

          One of his sisters had become infatuated with puzzles and code and such during her time on earth. She spoke of advanced encryption with the fondness of a mother would her child's first paint, by numbers. but she had confessed that her favorite puzzle was deciphering a human's mistakes. Pulling order from chaos. Reading bad handwriting, or mistyped letters. Pulling order from chaos. Reading bad handwriting, or mistyped letters. Her favorite was when her vessel's freinds would get drunk and become unable to use their phone's properly. The puzzles only increased in complexity once the touch screen became popular and auto correct. But knowing their usual speech patterns and the general proximity of letters on the keyboard it was easy to make an approximate guess of what they wrote.

          So when Castiel requested her assistance deciphering three texts, it was child's play. For the most part.

           "The first one's just saying if you're there you can wake him. The second says, don't worry about the blood and the last is just... there are no appropriate possible messages so it was likely an accidental send."

           "Thank you." and of course, given the second message, her brother is off, back to Dean Winchester yet again. She just reminds herself that humans are a short lived bunch and even if this one does have a hold on him currently, it won't last. They simply need to be tolerant. After all the reapers ar determined to send the Winchester into the Empty when they die. They'll get their brother back completely soon enough.

            But still she looks down at the third message again. There's no need to encourage them. So she erases it before sending the item to her brother's trenchcoat pocket.

 

           Castiel notices the objects appearance in his pocket and sends a silent thank to his sister. An argument is underway in the room next door and aside from a few modern expletives is entirely in pre-renessance Itallian. The words reckless and suicidally insane are repeated several times. A torn bloody shirt and some spiked fingerless gloves are on the bed, Dean's shoes near the door and there's water running in the bathroom, the sink.

          "Dean?" he moves towards the cracked open door. There's no answer, though something clatters in the tub and there are sounds of movement. When Castiel opens the door Dean is sitting on the floor across from the toilet with his head and arms resting on the side of the small tub. There's a small sewing kit on the floor, dental floss and a pool of blood in the bath tub. The shower curtain is torn as well. What can be seen of Dean's body is a mass of bruises and black glitter paint.

           It's surprisingly easy to manually check for signs of life and as it is hours before noon, he's unsure as to how concerned and he should be that Dean is still unconscious.

           "Hey, Cas." he finally speaks when Castiell's picked him up off the bathroom floor. Though the words are clearly an effort. "S'okay. M'okay." Though he doesn't seem able to move much. "Dras a waffle... soaked psycho syrup."

           "Perhaps it is best for you simply rest."

 

           The day is half gone when Dean opens his eyes again. Big mistake. His shirt's on the chair closed and sewn up, a quick check reveals the rest of his clothes are still on and stained with the black glitter paint. Right. The paint balloons. He was going to knock out that psychotic little Belgian and drag him home before dawn. Where is he?

           "Dean." Shit. Dean looks over to see Cas handing him a large cup of coffee and his hangover pills.

           "Thank God for you, Cas." He sighs tossing back a few before drinking his coffee. "In my defense I wasn't dicking around. I was chaperoning Ardras while he dicked around in exchange for easy access to the dig site. He's... still alive, isn't he?"

            "Yes. Rahab gives you his thanks and sincerest apologies."

            "What ever Rahab did to fall, I feel fairly certain that protecting that psycho soaked waffle for so long is punishment enough. he started or tried to start three bar fights. Probably more as I don't remember this particular injury." Dean touches the bandages on his ribs.

             "You saved Ardras from an attempted mugging that he tried to provoke into murderous violence, then brought him back here, and stitchd his arm up in the tub before passing out."

             "Huh, I don't remember any of that. I am never doing that again. I'm too old for this, man." Dean shakes his head and finishes his coffee. "How's heaven?"

             "It's become slightly more tumultuous. Memories are returning that were previously assumed to be erased. Memories we thought were true are proving to be illusion. I should have realized when I recalled learning to fly, what was happening."

             "Why would you forget or have your memories of learning to fly erased?" Dean can't possibly understand why that would be a problem. Maybe he stumbled into something incriminating.

             "It was hindering my training as a soldier. The event, while highly effective for myself and as an encouragement for those that came after me, was... highly traumatic and engineered an almost debilitating level of doubt and mistrust in regards to my elders. The archangels specifically."

              "What the hell did they do to you?"

              "Well, Gabriel..." But he's cut off by wave of the hand.

              "Nuff said," Dean reaches over and pats his arm. Cas gives a slight smile  "Not that I'm not curious, but Sam didn't exactly care to expound to a greatly on the mystery spot."

               "Actually, Sam said you would likely enjoy the story and as I have offered to answer any and all of my siblings questions. I know the event will come up in conversation eventually. Some practice in telling it is probably needed." Castiel confesses

               "Alright." Dean settles back, coffee cup in hand, "Hit me."

 

               "There was a reason I had to be told not to step on the fish. After my experience in the ocean and the leviathan war, when I was equivalent to a preschooler, my instinctive response to anything coming out of the ocean was to immediately attempt immolation." Dean is attempting to hide his smile by taking a drink, but it's only more obvious as there hasn't been coffee in the cup for the last four attempts to drink from it.

               "You don't need to restrain yourself. While the gesture is appreciated I am well aware of how... humorous that is."

               "Yes, but it's not drunk frat boy molesting a tree funny it's lion cub attacking it's father funny. You know 'that's adorable' funny not 'what a jackass' funny." He tries to find a way to explain it so it's less embarrassing but honestly it's probably not possible. Well, at least the attempt has Cas thinking about something else.

               "Adorable?" Oh shit.

               "Uh... well.. I mean, baby angels? Learning to fly? The whole concept is adorable. It's adorable in general, I'm not saying you're adorable.. not that.. you're not... It's a cute story that's all I'm saying. And proof that Gabriel was always a sadistic jackass." He desperately tries to change the subject.

              "In Gabriel's defence, she was trying to keep me alive. And it was an effective lesson as I was the last reluctant fledgeling to need that level of personal attention."Only the previous labelling of the affair as adorably humorous keeps Castiel from being irritated at the burst of laughter that finally escapes the hunter. That and the fact that some of the tension in Dean's shoulders lifts visibly as he does so.

               "So you've actually seen the Empty, personally." Dean looks over at him in sudden realization. "You know how to get there."

               "Unfortunately not. It was moved shortly after the incident. Quite possibly because of it. Only the elder two archangels completed the task and only the reapers know where it is currently."

               "Well, we'll find it. Just like we'll find the wines. But Cas, I do have help and if things get hairy up there... I mean, shell shocked angels is kind of a big thing. If they freak out even a fraction as badly as some of the veterans here do..."

               "Shell-shocked?"

               "Yeah, it sounds like a lot of these memories are kind of really traumatizing, horrible war time memories. Haven't you heard of ptsd? There's no war now, everything's different. Preaceful, safe. That's often when these guys freak out. Dean rubs the back of the neck. "Dad had a few old army buddies like that. I'll have Sam look up some stuff. But I do know it's good to get em talking. You're a good listener, too, Cas. That may be the most important thing you can do for them really. And like I was saying, I want you here, but we've got help, hired help, but help so if you wanted to, if you needed to spend more time in heaven with them, it's not... Maybe you should."

               Castiel can't help notice Dean put his hand up to his left shoulder or the fact that he can't meet his eyes when he says this.

               "It can be over whelming at times being there. It may be selfish but I just might need this time with you as much if not more than you need me here." Cas confesses.

              "Then stay as long as you want. I just don't want you feeling obligated, that's all."Dean relaxes a bit more and stretches but his arms. "Alright I need some grub so let me change and we can go get something german to eat. I need to talk to you about Little Miss Blood Sacrifice and what the fuck to do about her involvement with my brother." Dean gets up and grabs some clean clothes from his suitcase.

               "If your concerned about his welfare, his current physical condition alone prevents him from being a viable sacrifice to most pagan gods and he is currently protected from any supernatural influence. While clearly misguided, I don't believe she poses any sort of threat to him."

               "That's not the point, Cas."

               "I do believe that to be incredibly relevant. Especially as her misadventure in Tiajuana was for the purpose of getting information to help Sam in his recovery. Her intentions are nothing but benevolent."

               "You truly believe that?" Cas isn't sure he likes the sly tone Dean asks

               "I do." He replies loyally.

               "So that's why you told Claire to stay away from her and followed it up with minor torture on Babe?"

              "That was a misunderstanding. Quetzalcoatl had left a mark of service on her abdomen. She merely requested my assistance in removing it. I was not torturing her."

              "She asked you to remove a tattoo several layers of skin deep without anaesthetic?"

              "She bit down on a wooden spoon. I did it as quickly as I safely could." Castiel thinks he sounds a bit more defensive than is warranted, but it's hard to find an adequate way to describe their interaction as so often seems to be the case.

              "See, whether that's true or not, it's not comforting." Dean points out. Castiel has to admit to himself that he wouldn't be comforted either.

              "When dried in certain herbs it's a summons for a cost free boon of the god. A supernatural gift card, she called it. She has no ill intent to either your brother or my charge, but you can understand why I don't feel a friendship with her is necessarily a good thing for girls as young and impressionable as Claire and Alex."

              "If she's not good enough for your little girl, she's not good enough for my brother."

               "I don't want Claire worshipping pagan gods." Castiel says firmly.

               "I really don't think she wants to. But you can't tell her who she can or can't be friends with.  That's almost guaranteeing she will do everything in her power to stay freinds."

               "I didn't tell her. I told Gabrielle to stay away from her. Claire must have over heard." But the sigh he hears from Dean doesn't sound as if that's any better.

               "Oh, awesome."

               "You think that was a mistake."

               "Cas, you fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'never get involved in a land war in asia'  but only slightly well known is this, 'don't threaten your teenage daughter's friends behind her back or they'll all run away to Tiajuana to worship Aztec Gods.'"

               "Dean, I don't believe you've remembered that quote correctly." Castiel informs him gently. Dan just rolls his eyes.

               "I'll smooth things over with Claire. And if you really think this woman truly wishes no harm and only good things to Sam and everyone, then you'll call her up and apologize, then tell her she can see the girls. Because she can't be good for him and bad for them." There's only silence as Dean shaves. And silence sounds like he's won the argument. He grins and after a quick wash, gets dressed and exits the bathroom, just in time to see Castiel dial his phone.

               "Yes, I... no, I'm calling to apologize. I was out of bounds dictating your friendships... all of you...Dean pointed out the hypocracy of my position given my stance on your acquaintanceship with Sam... No, the opposite in fact.... I am not going to say that to him and you know that I would not so never make that suggestion again." Castiel scolds into the phone.

                "Bitch has something to say to me, she has my number." Dean raises his voice. There's a clear 'Fuck you, Winchester' from the phone loud enough that Castiel moves his head away from it.

                "Please use your own conversation to argue, not mine... That's alright. We're going out to eat before we retrieve the permits and go to the dig site... Of course, what do you need?.... That's rather a lot. Why do you need so many?.... Oh, alright then. I will bring them back upon our return. Good bye, Gabrielle."  Cas hangs up the phone and looks over to Dean who's a bit puzzled. "She asked me to bring back a few dozen of the largest wursts I can find. She's throwing the girls a sausage party." Despite how pissed he is, Dean has a little trouble refraining from laughter at the statement. Fortunately Castiel doesn't ask questions.

                "Alright. Let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dean's text translations
> 
> Dean: Whsuvyowear herw dhyld xome by my briijn it'd okay if yiu wake ne,  
> Wish you were here, should come by my room it's okay if you wake me
> 
> Dean: dobt worry Avout thbeloood  
> Don't worry about the blood
> 
> Dean: JKbbe yoi  
> I love you
> 
> In order to get these drunken scrambled texts, I tried to type out each sentence while not looking at the touch screen while I typed them. The angel took a few liberties with the translations. The host really doesn't like Dean at all in case you haven't noticed


	17. Temperencia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam redefines the terms of ownership on his hair  
> narrows down on a location for Vino Temperencia  
> and makes up with Dean
> 
> k. chapter done now :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Temperencia (latin)  
> Temperance 
> 
> Restraint. Justice. Constant mindfulness of others and one's surroundings. practicing self control, abstinance, moderation, and deferred gratification.
> 
> Prudence to judge between actions with regards to appropriate actions at a given time; proper moderation between self intrest, versus public intrest, and against the rights and needs of others.
> 
> credit wikipedia

         Sam looks at the brush in his hands as Babe braids his hair into dozens of tiny braids with dozens of different colored tiny elastic bands. It's a long precise process and only the clear evidence in front of him keeps him from changing his mind at some point. Part of him feels amazed that Babe even has the concentration to do this, but it wouldn't be the first time he's seen her so completely absorbed in a task. He could probably poke her several times with a pointy stick before she'd even notice.

         "Whuuuuhhh." Babe deflates, draping herself dramatically across his legs like some kind of overgrown lap animal. "I need a break." Sam just gives her head a friendly pat. "News from our men of the world?"

         "Yes, actually." Sam picks up his phone again. "They found two wines at St. Johns Cathedral. Vino Patiencia on the fourth basement and Vino Industria in a cave below the lower level.  So three down, four to go. And I don't believe for a minute you're comfortable like that. I can feel your breastbone on my knee."

         "Tired." She hold up a finger. Sam checks the time and her blood sugar and doses her accordingly. "Alright." She sighs and picks herself up when it's done. "Now, last step." Babe picks up the razor and plastic baggies. "It's not to late to back out."

          "I'd just be delaying the inevitable." Sam nods to the brush with it's not insubstantial tufts of hair trapped in the bristles. Babe takes his head in her hands and gently kisses his cheek.

          "It's not inevitable. It wasn't. You chose to fight and this is a price of fighting. And now you're taking that price and paying in advance. In doing so you're taking control of your fate and shaping your own destiny. You're not loosing your hair, you're changing the conditions of ownership. Don't talk about the inevitable. You're a Winchester, you of all people know there's no such thing." Sam just blushes a little and silently rubs her arm as she just stays still for a moment, her cheek resting against his and collects herself. "Okay." Babe straightens up and wipes the dust from her eyes before putting the plastic in place. "Pretend that never happened and your brother doesn't get the pictures I just took of your braided head."

          "Pretend what never happened?" He replies innocently, wiping off the few tears that fell on his cheek.

          "That's my sweet Sampita." she pats his head and cuts off the first braid. Sam shuts his eyes and tries not to think too had about it. After a moment she starts singing softly to herself as if she's done something like this so often, she doesn't even have to pay attention. ".. break in twooo, so it's better to be fake.." is all he hears before she realizes she's singing out loud and just starts humming the rather upbeat tune instead.

          "Anything you want to share with the class?" He asks

          "Nope. Here's one though. I feel pretty... Oh so pretty.." Sam just grins, trying not to laugh and shake his head when there's a razor against his skin. "Alright. All done." The litany of show tunes is ground to a halt. "Ready to look?"

           "Not really, no." He confesses. Babe slides a hat onto his head.

           "Awww... wook at you wid your widdle hat." she coos. "Why does that look so damn cute? Carol! June! Come in here, is that not the cutest damn thing you've ever seen?" She runs to the door, waving the nurses in. "That's it. This my new wall paper." She takes out her phone.

           "Oh god you did it!" The uninvited shift nurse sounds horrified. "I thought you were joking? What did you use?"

           "Straight razor. Wait! No, he agreed to it!" Babe catches her arm as she goes to get a security guard.  "I swear. Sam! Tell the lady I didn't drug you and shave your head without permission."

           "Please tell me you weren't going to." He turns his head back to give her a worried look.

           "You should be proud of me, Sambo. It was so tempting, you don't even know." She snaps a few more pictures and then flicks through them.

           "I want my ring back." Sam just grabs his book. Babe laughs and lets the nurses go back to their duties.

           "She thinks you're too good for me." Babe returns to clean up the area pulling a handi-vac from her purse.

           "I am." He teases.

           "Now remember, we agreed not to tell your brother about this." She reminds him sternly.

           "I know." he reassure her.

           "And even if the wig is finished before he comes back, nothing but hat until he sees it. You promised. I will never forgive you if you don't go through with this."

           "I know. Isn't it karaoke night? Shouldn't you be meeting someone?" He reminds her.

          "Claire's going to meet me at my place. Are you going to be okay?" She looks at him a bit apprehensively as she tucks the bags of hair away.

          "Yes. You removed my hair not my spinal cord. I think I'll survive."

          "Oh..." Babe snaps her fingers. "I know you like Greece for vino temperentia, Manusamhita. but honestly I'm thinking Nepal. Lumbini to be exact."

          "The birthplace of Siddhartha Guatama?" He frowns.

          "Yes. This is why I'm pretending to marry you, Samadhi, that beautiful brain of yours. Temperance is big in buddism. That's practically the whole spiel when it gets down to brass tacks." She takes out a thin mint and puts it in his mouth, patting his head again.

          "But he was raised in Kapilvastu, obtained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya and gave his first sermon in Benares, and died in Kushinagar. They're all significant locations. And none of them are part of the Abrahamic religion." Sam reminds her.

          "Yeah, but remember cs lewis and his belief that you can't do good in the name of darkness only in the name of the light, or something similar. That was the point he was making anyway. The virtues should be kept where they are most embodied. If there's no Christian, Jewish, Zoroastrian or Muslim site that satisfies it as well as the Buddhist one, then there just isn't. Temperence is about behavior and restraint, right? An entire religion devoted to it as opposed to one man embodying it is surely... hold on..." She answers her phone. "Hey, baby blue. Are you there already? No, I'm still with the old ball and chain, having a philosophical argument.... Ha ha ha. No. That's an old person joke, Claire. Keep away from generational humor until you're at least 35. So, got the red paint and remaining sausages?... Great! Pick me up here?...aww you're the best, kiddo. later. " she hangs up. "Okay, what was I saying?

        "Moderation, behavior, and restraint." Sam says inoccently, not looking at her so he doesn't start laughing.

        "Hah, yeah, maybe I'm not the best person to consult on this subject." Babe grins, freeing Sam's own. "I don't see birth or death as really temperate things though, come to think of it."

        "No, not really. Orthodoxy doesnt seem very temperate either." Sam sighs, pulling the desk over. "So I suppose either Bodh Gaya or Benares. I'll check them out. Thanks."

       "Any time, Samcake."

 

       It was disappointing that not only could Rahab not blip Dean out of the bottom of the cavern, but he couldn't do anything about his sprained ankle anymore than Cas could. In fact it was a bit interesting that his trying so clearly irritates Cas. Ardras thought it was funny that while Dean didn't go anywhere with the attempt, his shirt did. Apparently the protection of God's grace is not afforded to flannel. Given the predicament, Castiel actually had to physically climb the cavern walls with Dean holding onto his back in an impressive display. Especially as he dug his fingers into the rock like it was playdough.

       He keeps forgetting how strong the angel is, and even stronger now. He also is forced to remember that in truth much of Castiel's time with Dean had ended in being weakened and reduced to something far less. And now he's something so much more than he was before. Was this really what Castiel was meant for? To use and possible waste the awesome powers of an archangel to babysit two people? Could it possibly be right?

        It was absolute selfishness and opportunism that made him insist on Cas having a family vacation with them. After all he fucking needed it and deserved it and if it were at all feasable to maintain that kind of happiness for all eternity, he can't say he wouldn't be tempted, but life doesn't work that way. Ever. Even a gift from god ends up being a kick in the teeth.

       "What are you thinking about so intently?" the batshit belgian enters his room, using the door for once.

        "What do you want, Waffles?" Ardras just rolls his eyes at the unimaginative nickname.

        "Company. Our boys are off again and I'm bored as hell. You play cards?"

      "I do, but that doesn't sound dangerous enough for you. Whats the catch?" Dean eyes him suspicuously.

       "Gin rummy with real gin followed by strip poker." Ardras looks at him hopefully.

        "Trying to get me drunk, huh?" 

        "Well, yes, but if we're both drunk where's the blame lie?" He smacks Dean a kiss. Dean is unamused.

         "I don't think so."

         "It's a joke. We don't have to get drunk first."Ardras concedes.

          "Never gonna happen, dude."

          "You're not telling me you're straight are you? Or are you and your angel still in that lovey dovey faithfully commited phase somehow. Haven't you two been together around eight years now?"

          "The answer to those questions are whatever convinces you that you have no fucking chance. Now are we going to play cards or do I have to inform you that i have the king of hell on speed dial and getting me drunk right now is as likely to lead to me selling you out as it is to you getting laid."

        "I don't know whether to hope that means fifty/fifty or not at all. Because hundreds of years of sort of monogamy is killing me. "Ardras tosses Deam the pack of cards and takes out his cigarettes.

        "No," Dean takes them from him. "You smoke in your own room. I don't want that funk in here. These are pure leaf tobac... wait, you and Ray are a couple? But... you downright hate each other."

        "Of course we do. We've been together hundreds of years. That's what happens. I sold my soul to stay young and beautiful for a creature that doesn't give two fucks about anything physical. And a bit for myself I must admit. And now we're eternally bound, by mutual self loathing, guilt, obligation, resentment, smouldering hatred and a not so hidden desire to torture each other personally instead of letting heaven and hell do it. Now give me back his damn cigarettes." He holds out his hand. Dean wordlessly complies.

        "You know,you.... look, maybe we can figure something out about your soul." Dean offers sympathetically.

       "That's all well and good, but it's not my soul that needs attention, cowboy." Ardras taps a cigarette on his knee then snaps it in half, sprinkling the filling out on the floor, then does so to another.

        "Dude!" Dean stops shuffling the cards and motions to it in disbelief.

         "I'm not smoking them, am I?" Is the snippy reply. "Sometimes i think hell cant be as bad as this."

         "Well, it can. So suck it up and show a little gratitude to the one keeping your ass out of it." Dean starts to deal, as Ardras has no intrest. "Gin rummy, alcohol free, and get that mess off my floor."

          "Fine, more for me." Ardras takes a drink. "Good call by the way, this is terrible stuff," he clears his throat and just chugs it. 

         It turns out that tonight at least, Ardras is a weepy drunk and can't keep to a single language. The one he so animatedly curses the heavens with ends up not being french or english or Whatever they speak in belgium, possibly one no longer in existence.

         "I see he's yet again intruded." Rahab says apologetically, and touches the sobbing man's forhead. Ardras unceremoniously slumps over and is hoisted over the angel's shoulder. "Castiel has informed me of your plans with your brother. In compensation for your forbearance with my partner, I have procured you First Class tickets to and from kansas. Since it seems I cannot transport you myself it is the least I can do." He hands Dean the envelopes.

         "Thanks. I really appreciate this." Dean waves it a bit. Now he won't have to have Sam arrange something, which would likely involve that little vixen and her under\other world connections. He is deeply regretting encouraging those two. That bitch is bad news. Dean looks back up but the dysfunctional couple are gone. Dean checks the time, about midnight, so... fivish? He may as well give his brother a call.

         "Hey," Sam answers. 

         "You high?" There's a breif silence on the other end that almost makes Dean regret the semi joking question.

         "I'm finding this new antidrug stance of yours strange and baffling, but no, we've found the right amount to kill the nausea but not send me into giggle fits. It's a one inch square, by the way. Apparently it's potent stuff. How's Germany?" Sam lets it go fairly easily for which Dean is eternally grateful. He didnt mean to almost start a fight first thing.

        "It's fine. I'm not sure my clothes will ever stop smelling of saurkraut and bratwurst, but I'm fairly sure thats just the hotel. I have tickets back for next week so start planning, actually I sprained my ankle worse than I thought so nothing too athletic."

           "Don't worry about that, my energy's shot. I'm starting to think fishing and beer is a good plan." Sam confesses.

           "Always,"

           "But we're listening to my playlists." Sam says firmly. There's a pointed silence from his brother. "Dean..."

           "Yeah, no of course." Dean quickly replies.

           "Right. And I don't want you picking on Babe when you're here, either." Sam doesnt really want to have to say it, but with Dean's new anti Babe stance he kind of has to.

         "Man, do you even hear yourself?"

         "We're not having this discussion again, Dean. How's your ankle?" Dean allows the change of subject since Sam so graciously did earlier.

          "It's a sprained ankle, Sammy. Mild but annoyingly inconvenient. Could have been much worse. Damn floor collapsed. Cas ended up taking the brunt of the fall, shook it off like the badass he is, and thus vino industria. Anything new on your end?"

          "Not exactly. I havent been able to narrow down a location for Vino Temperencia yet. Somewhere in Bodh Gaya is the best bet, but I still think Greece has to have one. I'm sorry I haven't gotten more done, I just..." Sam's voice trails off in exhausted frustration.

        "Hey, no, come on, Sammy. You're doing intensive chemotherapy for god's sake. Give yourself a break. How's that going? What do the doctors say?" Dean switches the phone to his left hand, rubbing his shoulder with his right.

         "Well... I'm handling it pretty well... my body is I mean. But it's really too soon to tell. They look hopeful though." Sam's forced optimism makes Dean try to have some as well. "They think it may triple my life expectancy."

         "And they decided what that is now?"

         "Anywhere from three to six months." Sam says quietly.

         "Thats... thats what's being tripled right? Not what..." Dean can't bring himself to finish the horrible thought.

         "Yeah, it's alot worse than they thought."

          "So best case scenario a year and a half," Dean tries to make that sound good. As if it wouldn't be a year and a half of chemo and surgery.

         "Worst case, I don't see thanksgiving." He just has to say out loud, though he refrains from pointing out what they both know. They never get the best case scenario. Never. "But like I said, they look hopeful." Sam tries to sound optimistic again but it doesn't work this time.

           "Of course they look hopeful! They're not the ones fucking dying are they?" Dean snaps, "Are they?"

         "No."

         "This is such bullshit!" Dean kicks the tv tray over with his good leg wishing he could just throw it off the balcony.

          "Oh, that reminds me." Sam desperately grabs the only thing he can think of. "Claire needs to ask you about salvaging car parts and she and Alex wanted to know if they could steal Cas while we're on our trip."

         "How does.., Wait, why are they asking you to ask me to ask Cas? And what do they need him for?"

         "They're still a bit nervous about the whole tiajuana thing, I guess." Sam gets that amused tone in his voice.

         "You think its funny. You think that them stealing my car and taking it down to Tiajuana to hunt an Aztec god is funny?" Dean accuses him. Though if it was only a trip to tiajuana and wasn't his car and his car didn't get trashed it kind of sort of would have been. A little. This whole situation with Claire is making him feel more and more like a suburban stepdad.

          "I think that there are certain parts of the affair that have a humorous aspect to them." Sam says diplomatically, but he's probably referring to the whole conversation with Babe where everything just flipped upside down.

          "Fine. I'll have Cas give her a call about it later." He just decides to move the conversation away from the high preistess as quickly as possible.

          "Try tommorrow, She and Babe are off to slay the god of karaoke and vie in combat to take his place."

      "Not... not literally though, right?" Dean feels fairly sure that if it was literal Sam would have started off with that, but not completely sure.

       "Don't you love how our lives make that a valid question?" Sam laughs. Maybe he is a little high. "And, no, not literally. Its a karaoke competition at Louix's V every monday night. Babe's currently in the lead but Claire's catching up mostly because Babe's coaching her. Alex wants lessons too, which is why they want to steal Cas."

         "For... karaoke?"

         "No, Alex wants to learn about wards and sheilds and how to dispell things. Babe won't teach her unless Cas is there, since a wrong move can be bad and the three of us pretty much short circuit all magic right now. That and the shift nurse kind of has it out for her enough without turning my hospital room into some sort of weird cult. That reminds me, Babe and I have an open relationship and you know about it. In case they ask."

        "Trying to get some strange, Sammy?" Dean grins at the request.

         "No, Nurse Ratchet caught her getting hot and heavy with some girl at one of the clubs."

         "So... she's a panexual butterfly and you're okay with this because..."

          "I'm an ace, probably a demi. I'm still not entirely sure yet."

          "I have to say, Sam, this whole little fantasy world you two are creating here is both intriguing and disturbing. Are you sure there's only pot in those brownies?"

         "Why am I not surprised you don't need to ask what an ace or a demi is." Sam teases him back.

          "You know, if this keeps going the way it's going, you're going to end up getting fake married to this fake fiancee quite possibly leaving behind some fake children, a fake dog, and a fake mortgage." Dean retorts.

        "Don't worry, Dean, the mortgage will be real." Dean laughs probably a bit harder at this than warranted, but he does kind of need it.

         "You've gotta save me some of those brownies, man."

          "She's really taking care of me, Dean." Sam insists on ruining the conversation. "I know she gets on your nerves but you don't get to see the woman that I do." God, he called that little brat a woman. No, he's not smitten at all.

        "Is that so? Are we done playing the 'it's not like that' game, then?"

        "I don't know. Are we?" Sam snaps pointedly. Dean just ignores him. "Look, she's lonely and scared and hurting and yes, she's a social butterfly, but I kind of think she just wants a freind, no matter what she says about labels. And if she just wants a captive audience to joke with, do mundane things like eat and watch movies with, and just do nothing with, I don't see what's so wrong with that. I like it. I like her and enjoy her company."

         "I'm not saying there's anything wrong with any of that. But dude, she sacrificed to an Aztec god. She's probably lonely for a reason, and come on. Freinds?  She's singing you love songs almost every time I hear you two together."

         "You're reading way too much into this. She's a kind generous motherly person, despite her active nature. And don't act like we haven't done a few..." Sam stops himself and takes a deep breath. "Forget it. Life's too short. Goodnight Dean. Get some sleep." And yet again another badly ended conversation.

           What does he expect Dean to do? Pretend he doesn't see it? Sam is gone on this girl whos at least pretending to be just as gone on him. Since when has any woman involved in the supernatural world ever ended up being good for Sam in any way.  He does not need to have his last days spent being some psycho bitches plaything.  And if they manage to save him he needs even less to be used for whatever life has in store for him this time. Because it's all just one shit-storm after another, and this is just one he can see coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Babe is humming to herself 'How to be a heartbreaker" Kind of forcing herself to focus. They're just having fun, it doesn't mean anything, she's not in love and he doesn't even know who she is anyways so... yeah. It's not just a river in Egypt, Babe, you poor thing.
> 
> btw  
> Am I the only one who notices how much Gabriel and Dean seemed to have in common in the show? 
> 
> What hat is Sam wearing? You decide!
> 
> Manusamhita -an important Sanskrit law book written by Manu an Indian king imbued with great wisdom and devoted to virtue.
> 
> Samadhi- concentrated mind in meditation ( right mindfulness, right effort, right concentration)
> 
>  
> 
> On Pure Leaf Tobacco Cigarettes
> 
> I always figures that victorian ladies and such were just being fussy when i read about them complaining about cigars and such until one rainy day waiting for the bus in the rain, in the rain, rain, waiting for the bus in the rain. someone lit up a pure leaf tabacco cigarette and oh dear god the smell was so incredibly terribly horrible I almost stood out in the rain. I would have if not for my tablet in my not at all waterproof purse. I still wanted to throw up. so yeah. Modern cigarettes actually smell kind of good comparatively. (but still bad)


	18. Temple of the God of Karaoke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claire and Babe's night out  
> Babe gets back her boots  
> Claire meets Hela daughter of Loki  
> Babe is definitely totally not in love with Sam. She means it, really. How could you even think that? What's wrong with you? Geez.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My middle son Sean couldn't say s's, though i never stole his spoons.  
> And my daughter Fiya said yunch though i never made her repeat it and she thus never threw a fit over it. Because i have slightly more self control, but i did go just as gaga over it as babe if not more so. Aaaahhh theyre just so damn cute!

       "So, he can't say 's' at the beginning of words yet if it's next to another consonant. So 'stuck in the snow' becomes 'tuck in the no'. and its just freaking adorable. I can't get enough of it. I've been feeding him nothing but soup, stews, chili, ice cream, pudding and custards so he'll have to keep asking for his 'poon'. It's so cute, I must have gotten him to say 'poon' fifty times one evening. Of course he got mad and yelled at me because I kept taking his poon which was even cuter." Babe grins absently stirring her virgin daquiri. Claire just laughs and downs her beer.

       "And then there's Sophie," Babe continues. "Who says 'yunch' instead of lunch. But its harder to get her to repeat it without ending up with the silent treatment or extreme unholy  toddler wrath."

      "And this is the woman who get her boots stolen by Quetzalcoatl while in tiajuana doing porn, well, the choreography." Claire teases.

      "Sex and a love of children are not mutually exclusive. Just the opposite in fact."

      "They're not an automatic pair, either."

      "You're up, honey." the waitress leans in to let Claire know.

      "I dunno, man, how will I ever follow that?" Claire smirks as the exhibitionist of the contest Diva Las Vegas, a drag queen drumming up some publicity, gets off the stage. Wonderful presence and appearance, but her voice, not so much. Material Girl was a mistake.

      "I'll have to explain that to Yuri," There's a thoughtful semi familiar voice from the booth behind Babe. "He still holds a great deal of resentment regarding the treatment of his toddlerhood lisp."

      "This is for you, Bree!" Claire blows a kiss as the intro to 'Messiah' starts. Babe smacks her a kiss back, forcing herself not to look alarmed while Claire's watching.

      "Bree?" The woman sounds amused. "How many names do you have?"

      "I'll let you know when I'm done collecting them." Babe moves Claire's drink aside. "Join me?"

      "Of course." The tall raven haired woman with the pale not quite sickly complexion, walks over and sits across from her. Babe can't help but notice the gorgeous red leather boots she's wearing.

       "Coacoa sold me out I see." Babe frowns. That asshole. "So, to what do I owe the honor?" She can't help but give an affectionate smile at the woman. "You've by grown."

       "I haven't. You've lost at least a foot, though, or so I hear." It's the slightests of grins and a small jest but Babe'll take it. "I wanted to see it for myself, really."

       "How have you been, Hel?" Babe asks fondly.

        "Well, my father died. If that wasn't bad enough, my brothers and I learned upon his death that he was not in fact our father at all."

       "I'm sorry." 

       "Don't be. It was an experience learning that an irritating and lackluster father was in reality probably the best stepfather we could have had. Even if he was the father of all dad jokes." She looks at Babe with her peircing eyes. "Given who he really was, after all, there's no way he didn't know, don't you think?"

       "He knew. He also knew it wasn't your fault and your real father was a dick. How are your brothers handling it?"

       "Adjusting to life without predestination. Rhys is happy. Yuri, not so much. He's not as fond as caves as he was, so thats a plus. " She says with the faintest of unconvincing hope.

       "Should I expect a visit from them as well?" Babe's not sure wether to hope for it or not.

        "Not so long as you like like this. You know how they are. It always weirds them out when you do this. Yuri maybe if you really absolutely need him and can put up with him and his moodiness. Rhys maybe if I show him a picture of your new girlfreind though. She's cute." Hel looks at Claire appreciatively.

        "What, baby blue? No, she's... my neice sort of though rapidly approaching bestie." Babe shrugs."It's complicated. Twisty."

          "I wasn't aware you ever did simple and straight forward." Is the dry response to that.

         "I wouldn't know how, honestly. Aside from, that how are you? Are you seeing anyone? How's your mother?"

         "Mother's being Mother, even if it is in my domain. She says to go fuck yourself by the way. And I'm not seeing anyone at the moment. Is Baby Blue? There's something compelling about her. Some sort of potential." She stares at the young woman trying to figure it out.

       "She's a vessel. So unless you want the newly minted archangel, Castiel to come after you, I wouldn't recommend it."

        "A vessel, really. You do pick the oddest freinds."

        "You have no idea." Babe smiles. the song ends and the loungue breaks out in applause.

         "I will be your new god!" Claire lifts both hands on the air as the noise dues down.

         "I can see the resemblence now." Hel comments dryly. This comment makes babe snort the daquiri through her nose and is laughing and crying at the same time when Claire returns. But for some reason it sound more like tears than it does laughter at the end.

        "Who's this?" She sounds annoyed at the intrusion, and warily looks the goddess over.

        "This is my baby girl, Hel." Babe wipes her face with the napkin.

         "Not any more, sugar daddy." Hel responds, the perfect dead pan delivery as always. Babe grins and looks to her watch. "I'm all grown up now."

          "Your ex is in my seat." Claire says cooly, before noticing the boots. "Those are not your boots." 

           "No. I got them from a mutual acquiantence of ours. They let me find my dearest again." Hel slips out of the booth, offring Claire back her seat. Claire's hand moves slowly behind her back. "Relax, aiskling, I come in peace.

          "Who are you? Another Aztec?"

          "Hardly. My name is Hela, please sit down before you cause a scene." She walks back to her booth and takes out a bag. "I brought a few things I thought you might care to have. The winged serpent informed me of your circumstances. I did care for Bara as requested, but she was so old, and pined for you. I made sure to take her on one last hunt before it was too late. Her trophy." She removes a small tusk from a young boar. Babe gives a small smile. Thoughtful  and tender as always. Hel had his dog die a warriors death. "I sent her off as I did my father. My brothers thought I was crazy each time, but they still attended both. As did an uncle of ours. I'm fairly sure. It was the same one though he wore a different vessel with a tan trench coat the second time. He was very cold."

         "Thank you." Babe's voice is very small.

         "I don't intend to do so again any time soon." She pulls out a pair of slippers from her purse and changes out of the boots.

         "Miss Callisto." the waitress returns. "Do you need a moment? I can send someone up for an encore if you need."

         "No." Babe rubs her eyes with her napkin. "No. I'm good."

         "And without further ado, currently in the lead for karaoke godhood, our very own Gabrielle Xena Callisto! Singing for our Madonna Marathon Monday, Like a Prayer." the dj announces. Hel actually laughs at this so loud she earns a few shushes and glances from the crowd, but a wink and a kiss from Babe.

        "You brazen hussy." She shakes her head, still smiling.

        "You seem on good terms for ex lovers." Claire says cautiously, blade firmly in hand under the table.

        "What can I say? I'm sentimental." Claire's not exactly sure she appreciates the naked affection on the goddesses face. She's sure a certain someone in the plaid hospital gowns Babe somehow found him wouldn't.

       "What do you want for your gifts? I know they're not free." Claire demands a bit imperously.

        "You know nothing. and I'm repaying a debt I only recently learned I had. What concern is she of yours?" Hel replies just as imperiously, but with an amused smile tugging at her lips.

        "She's a freind and if you do anything to her I will gank your godly butt without hesitation." Hel smiling wider at her and resting her head on her hand is not the response Claire expected to this.

         "You are adorable. Gabrielle never actually said if you were seeing anyone, my little valkyrie." With a snap of the fingers Claire's drink is refilled. She blushes a little but keeps her hand on her blade.

        "Sorry, I dont worship pagan gods, not even the cute ones." Why oh why did she add that?

         "Wasn't asking for a commitment aiskling," Hel takes a sip of Babe's drink, frowning at it slightly. "I do have an underworld to rule. This is a special trip."

        "You mean like Valhalla?"

        "The other one."

        "Torment?"

        "No, more like the B list. And lower. Its where you go when you don't die in battle or child birth. I don't really care to bother with the truly evil anymore, I just left them to your reapers. Or exchanged them for a few of mine that got mislaid."

        "Can you keep souls from the reapers?" Claire asks trying not to sound so excited at the thought.

        "If they're ours, but its been a long time since anyone truly worshiped the aesir enough to qualify. Plus there's the method of death. I'm not here to talk about work, though. How do you know Gabrielle? You with the gregori blade in your hand."

        "It's complicated." Is the politest most honest way she can decline to answer.

         "It's never anything else with that one involved. Tell me, why does she have your loyalty? And how has she retained it so long?" She looks genuinely interested so Claire tries to form an answer.

        "My parents were casualties of heavens wars. They've been avenged, but I lost them when I was young my father's... comrades in arms decided to take responsibility for me and come to my aid whether I wanted it or not, got me a home. Now they're in trouble and she's helping them. The whole Coacoa thing was for their sake. Plus she's way cooler than any of them. Not nearly so uptight, more open minded. Shades of gray and all that."

         "Shades of grey?" Hel asks politely.

         "You know, not just pure good vs pure evil with nothing in between. Case by case sort of thing." Claire shrugs, not quite believing she's having a semi philosophical discussion with a norse goddess at a karaoke bar.

         "That's good because the book is fifty shades of wrong. I'm surprised more people didn't get hurt." She winks at Claire who finds herself blushing again. Claire hastily looka back to Babe who's taking a deep bow. Her phone falls out of her bra again as she does it. Again. Babe doesn't look incredibly happy when she sees Hel summon up a hairclip made of a sprig of mistletoe to keep Claire's hair out of her face.

        "Oh, um, what does this cost me?" Claire wisely asks touching it as she checks herself in her phone. 

          "Just a smile. " Hel shrugs. "Doesn't have to be today. You just have to mean it." This comment gets her paid immediately.

         "I need bigger breasts. My bra can't keep hold of my cell phone properly." Babe complains nd slides in next to Claire, pointedly looking at Hel as she takes back her drink.

         "Or a decent purse." Claire comments.

          "You're drinking sugar water, alcohol free sugar water with fake sugar." Hel says disapprovingly. Babe just shrugs.

           "Alcohols off the menu now. I'm on a fairly strict regimine which I bend alot as it is. Pathetic I know, but I'll live." She checks the time again. "Alright."Babe grabs her insulin. "Time to go shoot up. If I'm not here for my victory song, take it for me."

           "You mean my victory song." Claire corrects her, though she knows Babe won yet again.

          "And Hela, play nice or don't play at all, I mean it." Babe suddenly sounds incredibly serious. Hel just hands her the boots, making her face light up. "Did I ever tell you you're my favorite." It's Hells turn to look abashed as she gets a kiss on the cheek. "I'd have kissed the top of your head but I still can't reach." But she does reach up to give her head a little pat before going back to the employee lounge.

          "That was nice of you." Claire smiles. Hel just shrugs and looks towards the retreating figure.

           "And the winner of the Madonna Marathon Monday by overwhelming majority is current frontrunner, Gabrielle Callisto!" The dj announces not unexpectedly.

           "She had a medical situation." Claire raises her hand. "I'm taking the final song."

            "Another one? Alright, any objections?" None of course. They're used to it by now." Alright, Ms. Novak celebrating Ms. Calisto's victory with Manic Monday."

            "When she returns to the booth, Hel is gone leaving only the bag for Babe and a small scroll behind for Claire. It doesn't usually take this long though. She quickly heads back tothe employee lounge where they let Babe take her insulin. She's still there, just sitting bent over with her head in her hands.

          "You okay, Babe?"

          "I'm fine." Is the quiet reply. 

          "Normal person fine, or Winchester fine?" Claire asks the very important question.

          "If I was Winchester fine, I'd probably be dying or dead so lets go with normal person fine." Babe cracks a smile as she looks up.

          "I'm sorry about your dog." Claire says gently though its probably not just the dog."

          "It's how she'd have wanted to go. Has Hel left?"

          "I assume so." Claire shrugs

          "Never assume, kiddo." Babe shakes a finger at her.

           "Are you really human?" Claire has to ask the question.

           "As human as you get, I know I look and sing like an angel but.." She's cut off by Claire's laughter.

           "No, obviously not an angel. Those guys are pretty much all total dicks." Claire dismisses the idea out of hand. Besides which if she were an angel Castiel would know. But this gets a snicker from Babe. 

          "Ah, you're just saying that because I'm a girl." She waves off the implied compliment.

           "I am not,"

          "I can be a dick," She still insists.

          "No, you're really more of a snarky asshole with the occaisional no nonsense terrifying 'I will fuck you up' aura, but that's about it."

          "Am I at least a bitch occaisionally?" Babe pleads, with big soulful eyes.

          "Just to Dean and that head nurse so far. That I've seen."

          "Hmmm." She seems to be considering this far more intently than Claire really likes.

          "You do have some shades of manic pixie dream girl, though." Claire offers helpfully as she sits down next to her.

          "That's a new one."

          "Not really, its a pathetic trope where a female character is all cute and quirky and crazy and exists only for the sake of giving life lessons to a male main character."

          "Does she have to learn any life lessons herself? Or actually attempt to teach him dirctly? Because I'm done trying to teach lessons; I just fuck it all up anyways, it seems. Though if not, there are worse things to be."

        "I guess that's true if your willing to assign your whole worth to how much use you are to some whiny selfish entitled manchild who is usually who they're paired with, narratively speaking. I'm not calling Sam any of those things so drop the glare of death, you smitten kitten you." Claire pinches her cheek.

         "I'm not in love with Sam. That's not what's going on here." Babe snaps. "Why does everyone insist on pairing us romantically?"

         "Because you're freaking adorable together! Are you kidding me? And you're always so happy together. Personally I didn't know he could smile like that and so often. Tell me you're not happy as hell when you're with him." Claire challenges.

       "That's not romance, that's fun. A good movie, a good meal, a sunny day, the right drugs all do the same, and no one keeps trying to put you in relationships with them, do they?"

        "Don't even try to tell me you dont think he's attractive." Claire grins, ignoring her meaningless protests.

        "Of course I do. I exist don't I? But seriously, mechanically? No. He's enormous and I'm ridiculously short. If we were standing here at the bar, I could do body shots off his navel without having to do more than lift his shirt. Granted the lime might be a problem."

         "Yes, because the fact that you're even thinking about that means nothing at all." Claire nudges her.

        "Bitch, please, you can't comprehend where the depths of my perversion even begin." Babe sticks her tongue out at at Claire who rolls her eyes.

       "Can't be worse than me. For our age difference you were in a coma." Claire reminds her. Babe just smirks.

        "Let's just say my wild years weren't in a middle class 1st world America. And while puritanically repressed WASPs can go a little crazy, thats nothing compared to a people who make a religion out of it. It's more significant if I don't have naughty thoughts about someone," Babe's declaration just makes Claire think weird thoughts.

        "Really? Everyone?"

        "Someone with a fully formed adult brain. I'm as selective as a car rental company. Twenty five and older or a few years difference or less. But hey, that's me." Babe shrugs it off. Claire just sighs and gives her a look.

        "I wasn't thinking me. More along the lines of everyone including Dean?"

        "Ha! Yes and that involves a ball gag. But only because the thought of him unable to speak is downright orgasmic." She waggles her eyebrows, a mischeivous lopsided grin on her lips. Claire just laughs her head off.

       "Eh, I guess you're right. I mean, if you're even looking for love, you want someone you like who likes you, that you find attractive, and just do stupid sappy things with like comparing the pleasure of their company to a summers day and constantly singing them love songs...." Claire ticks the items off on her fingers.

        "Who's not going to die by thanksgiving."

        "Oh, ye of little faith." Claire tsks at her, shaking her head.

         " Did you just quote the bible at me?" Babe gives her an astonished yet amused look. 

        "Jesus wept, no. But I mean, they're Winchesters, they die all the damn time. Dean's died over a hundred times and most of them on the same day apparently." Claire shrugs. Babe just laughs so hard she almost falls off the chair. "It never takes. This one won't either. As long as just one of those three are alive, its just not going to stick."

           "You're sweet, Claire, and I get it. but it's not going to happen with me and Sam."

           "No?"

           "No. So don't bother us with that. Dean was bad enough before he decided I wasn't good enough for his baby brother after all. Honestly if it didn't seem like everything I'm doing has been helping, I'd leave just so they'd stop arguing about it. Getting between those two never ends well. 

         "It's not just the brownies. I mean, you really have to ride him to get him to eat enough lately. Healthy stuff sure, but he needs more nutritionally dense stuff because eating sometimes exhausts him. It took a hell of alot of work to get him comfortable with aroma therapy and therapuetic massage. Encouraging him to think of me sexually will reverse all of that. Then there's rest, and singing helps relax him. So what if the most soothing ones in my range are love songs?

          "Then there's laughter which boosts the immune system and tears which help cleanse it. Do you know how hard it is to get him relaxed and comfortable enough to cry in front of me? And not about himself, never about himself. I have to get the saddest movies I can find and even then its hit or miss. And exercise is still important but his feet get all tingly and he trips or... what?" Babe snaps as Claire just gives her a wide eyed smile.

          "No, nothing. You're right. This is obviously not even close to love. I don't know how I could have thought otherwise." Claire stretches and gets back to her feet." You are a selfless and caring person, after all."

          "Anyone ever tell you what a sarcastic little shit you are, baby blue?"

           "Not exactly being sarcastic there, but with those self esteem issue you fit right in. Now all you have to do is die a few times and start wearing plaid, and cause possibly world ending events." Claire nudges her leg with her own. 

           "Never gonna happen, kiddo." Babe shakes her head.

           "I wouldn't be too sure given the company you keep."

           "Pretty sure the world will end before I ever wear plaid in public." Babe nudges her back.

           "But you'll wear it in private? like plaid lingere?" Claire teases. Babe's eyes widen at the sheer hilarity of it.

           "Damn it, now I have to get some. I dont even know where to look." Babe covers her face with her hands leaning back in the chair.

           "I dunno. L.L.Bean?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fyi. Sam is the only one who calls her Babe. Claire and Alex call her Bree as does Sherif Mills though they dont interact much. Castiel calls her Gabrielle, and Dean calls her pretty much anything but any of those. But as he's the one that really counts in this narritive, thats what she's referred to by, Plus she finds it hillarious and since she's been through alot, we might as well let her have this.
> 
> Yuri is a nickname for Jormungandr. the J being pronouced Y, Jory, Yori, Yuri. Yuri is actually hebrew for my light. He was Loki's favorite.
> 
> They had had a falling out after his mother's death though. The not so fond of caves remark is about the tale where the norse gods bind loki in a cave where. Jormungandr is trapped and drips painful poison on him until Ragnarok. Not exactly what happened but him being less fond of caves indicates a lessening of resentment however minor,
> 
> aiskling- norweigian for darling
> 
> Rhys is short for Fenris, aka fenrisulfr, aka fenrir depending on the translation.


	19. Unintended Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean returns,  
> Babe and Cas have a conversation in the car  
> Sam finally gets Dean to back off  
> Babe has a bad night of work

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cherpumple- A three layer dessert of cherry pie baked into a chocolate cake, Pumpkin pie bakes into a spice cake and Apple pie backed into vanilla cake. Yes, this is a real thing that exists. 
> 
> Sampai- mangling of Sempai, Japanese for upperclassmen, someone of a higher age. Miss Gabrielle Xena Callistio is 26 and Sam is 32?

      The worst part about Babe's unexpected and prolonged absence turns out to be the fact that it looks like she'll miss when Dean gets back from Germany. Sam tried to call and text her, but she didn't reply more than 'working' and nothing else. Enough to make sure he wasn't imagining her dead in a ditch somewhere. Though the fact she's working a job that doesn't have her sending hi9m pictures and comments of absurd things occurring during it is a bit worrying in itself.

       "Sammy, looking good." Dean lies as she comes through the hospital room door, crutch in hand.

        "You are much less diminished than I presumed you would be." The angel of tact declares following him in. "Hey, Cas." Sam nods waiting for them to notice the beanie.

        "Are you cold? I can find you more blankets." Is Cas's response to it.

         "No, I'm fine." Sam smiles, checking his phone. Still nothing from Babe.

         "What's with the hat, man?" Dean reaches his bedside and true to form immediately goes to remove the novelty beanie for a better look. When he does so, the sight of Sam's now bald head makes him jerk back like a cat trying to change direction mid air. Cas on the other hand turns into a statue, moving just enough to keep Dean from actually falling down. "You couldn't have given me a little warning about that, Sam?"

         "I promised Babe I wouldn't." Sam grins, trying not to laugh.

          "Where is the high priestess?" Dean looks around, less than amused.

           "I don't know. She hasn't been back since karaoke night. I was fairly sure she wouldn't miss this, though."

           "Dammit!" They hear from the hall. "I hate traffic."

           "Traffic laws were the problem this time." Claire comments.

           "It's alright. I made sure to remotely switch on the nanny cam on the way. "Alex rushes in and takes a large stuffed moose in plaid from the window sill. Dean looks back at them, Claire's holding some Tupperware and is followed by babe who's carrying a box larger than her own head. Sherrif Mills is close behind with a large chicken in one hand and a larger cake box in the other. Castiel quickly relieves her of the cake as it's closest to falling.

           "I'm sorry, girls, but I'm not flipping on the sirens so you can make it in time to see a practical joke. Alex, c'mon help me set this up." She nods to the desk. "Welcome back, Dean, Castiel. How was Europe?"

            "Very European. Did you shave your head for a practical joke?" Dean demands incredulously.

            "No. I did." Babe plops the box on Sam's lap. "For you, Sampai."

            "No, she didn't." Sam quickly interjects before Dean can start in on her. "The only joke part was surprising you with it, and there is no way that's what I think it is." He picks up the box.

            "Where do you think I've been? I'm quite frankly very impressed with myself and if you don't shower me with praises I'll be very upset and have to torture your brother." She crosses her arms, proudly.

            "The hell!" Dean snaps.

            "You made it yourself?" Sam gapes. Claire just smiles and gives a pointed look to Alex.

            "You didn't seriously think I was going to trust anyone else with your hair did you? Do you know all the things you can do with someone's hair? Better not to risk it. But don't worry. I practiced first. Which reminds me." She digs into her purse. "Mustaches for everybody!" Babe starts handing out curly golden brown pornstache's to everyone.

            "I don't understand the purpose of this." Castiel frowns.

            "Like this." Babe takes the backing off and gently smooths it on his lip, much to the delight of every one in the room. Including Dean who's trying desperately not to laugh. "Don't loose these. I think I purified them but I can't be sure anymore until someone uses them in a spell and fails. Same with the wig, so burn it when you're well and don't need it anymore."

            "You used your own hair?" Sam puts his mustache on, looking oddly good with it and his bald head and mutton chops. He takes the box into the bathroom, as the girls and castile help set up dinner. Claire has on her mustache as well, while Alex almost reluctantly puts hers on. but the time Sam comes back out they all have. "I'm ready to start singing your praises now." The wig is a perfect fit and an almost exact slightly shorter perfect copy of his previous hairstyle.

            "I prefer, Hail Holy Queen, from Sister Act but Sugar Sugar by the Archies is also acceptable. Hold on, it's work." Babe quickly answers her phone and steps out into the hall.

            "Are you kidding me?" They hear her exclaim and look to see the nurse at the desk shush her. "No. I can't say I am surprised at that. Dammit I'm... no, don't do that. I'll do it. Ellie's a bitch and he'll probably end up with pneumonia. Fine but I'm shorting sheets, don't think I won't... yeah, yeah. your welcome." She turns off her phone and looks back to see Claire at the door, giving her a wink and a smile.

            "Emergency?" She asks.

           "If you call parental selfishness an emergency." She shakes her head. "I'm sorry, Massam, it's Eddy." Babe waves the phone inside the door. Sam looks breifly disappointed but nods his understanding.

           "Need a ride?" Claire offers.

           "Nah, you stay and eat. I'll get a cab."Babe pats her shoulder.

           "I don't eat. I'll take you." Castiel surprises them with his offer. " I do have a car."

           "The pimp mobile, right." Claire rolls her eyes. "I wanted to talk to you anyways, Bree. About your ex?" 

           "We'd need a longer car ride for that." Babe winks. "And it is thursday so I may as well go with him. Just make sure I get saved a slice of cherpumple." she removes a wig of her own hair from her own head and places it on Claire's, startling them slightly. "I told you I practiced." She winks at them, fluffing out a much much shorter halo of curly golden brown hair.

         "What the hell is cherpumple?" Dean asks, of course distracted by the dessert.

          "It's a dessert made of three different pies inside three different  cakes."Alex explains, causing pure stunned silence from the man.

           "What do you know, better than a ball gag." Babe whispers to Claire who bursts out laughing. "Okay, big blue, lets go."

            "Who's Eddy?" Castiel asks as he follows her out of the hospital. 

            "Sickly kid with bad parents. It's opera night and Dana's broken her leg.  No one else is available but Ellie and if I had my say she'd be tiny peices scattered across the rings of Jupiter."

            "Is this woman dangerous?"

            "Only to disabled children but thats enough. Ignorant incompetance only excuses so much." She seethes.

           "His parents can't just stay home with him?"

           "Dana's kind of under contract. If they miss an expensive event like this due to her absence, they take the tickets out of her pay. Real bastards. Sweet kid, though."

           "Is there any way I can be of assistance?" Castiel offers.

           "I don't know. I'm tempted to ask you to heal him, but that might not be a good idea. I mean, for his body yes, but its the only thing keeping decent people in his life right now.But... he's just so young. You never think of illness as a blessing but sometimes it can be."

         "I'm currently in capable as you well know, but it can never be wrong to try to help someone."

          "Not philosophically no, but you dont always know what will help someone. You can think you do, but just end up making everything worse. But I mean, I can help out a freind and give a sweet boy a good night, a fun memory and sing the nightmares away. What can go wrong with that, right?" Though the bitterness in her tone sounds like she's expecting to find out soon enough. "Geez its like a friggin maze in here. Where's the parking garage?" she examines the signs. "Right, that way."

        "If you ever need my assistance, Please don't hesitate to ask." He offers gallantly. 

        "Thanks but right now that assistance would be limited to switching the sugar and salt containers and stealing socks from the laundry and such." Castiel actually considers this.

          "For what purpose?"

          "Petty vengeance and self satisfaction,"

            "Then obviously, I won't."

           "Oh, but if I'd have given you a good reason, you would have?" She challenges looking over at him. He gives a nod, "Damn, I should have thought of one, then."

            "Thank you for all you've done and are doing for Sam. No matter what you have my eternal gratitude for it."

            "He's that important to you." She smiles gently.

            "He's my best freind, my brother." Castiel says simply.

           "Better brother than your real ones from what I hear." 

           "Maybe. At times. We're certainly closer than I am with the rest of the host. The ones who are left. Its something I'm trying to change. Maybe I've failed them, repeatedly, but I still have to try."

           "Didn't exactly sound to me like they did very well by you. Weren't you murdered several times by them?"

           "The tally of brothers I've killed far exceeds that of those who have killed me." Is the dry response. Babe laighs and takes the mustache off his face as people are beginning to give them odd looks as they approach the parking garage. She just replaces the backing and puts it in his pocket. "I still don't understand the point of that."

            "Humor derived from dissonance and altered appearance, though not everyone can appreciate all types of humor, Thanks for playing along, though." Babe grins, "Oh, that reminds me, did Dean ask you about the lessons for the girls?"

            "He mentioned it."

            "And?"

            "And I'm not entirely sure I approve. I don't want to encourage them to join the life of a hunter."

            "It's not about encouragement, its about protection and I'm sorry to say, but I don't think there's any chance of extrcting Claire from this world. Especially not now that she's drawn the attention of a certain deity. She'll need to know everything I can teach her."  This raises the alarms she knew it would.

          "What deity? Quetzalcoatl?"

          "No, further north and different continent. Hel, norse goddess ofthe underworld. She's benign, gets out maybe once a month, But you know, what little family she has left, very protective." She lies. Hel can cow every single one of them without trying. 

        "Meaning her brothers." Castiel assumes. They'd just laugh at anyone who tried to screw her over. Big sister can be a force to be reckoned with.

         "Fenrisulfr and Jormungandr? Maybe. Sleipnir is a doll and just a very smart horse, so he's not exactly a worry either way." Babe hurries up as castiel finally spots the 'pimp mobile'

         "I'm unfamiliar with them. But not to worry, I'm certain I can smite them should the need arise."

         "Don't you fucking dare, you little shit!" Babe grabs his arm as he goes to unlock the passenger side door. "They are good kids and if those books are anything to go by, your neice and nephews as well."

        "How do you know them?"

        "I, uh, had a relationship with Hel. Before the coma. We're freindly still. She gor my boots back. But she was flirting with Claire rather heavily and I like Claire so... i just... thought I'd give her guardian angel a heads up, and a good reason why she might need to know how to use runes and other non enochian sigils and protective spells. Not so you can add killing them to your to do list. If I'd thought you would, I wouldn't have mentioned it."

        "As long as the pose not threat to my family or humanity, I have no need." Castiel unlocks Babe's door and goes around to the drivers side.

        "Nah, Rhys is a deer, just likes to play. Hel guards her flock, and Yuri sticks to the oceans when he's in midgard. There isn't really room for him to stretch put anywhere else. They spend most of their time avoiding the rest of the aesir. I'm more worried about other gods who hear about it." Babe gets into the car and gives a sigh. "And its my fault. If I hadn't done that big thing on Tiajuana, she wouldn't have found me and this wouldn't be an issue at all.  See what I mean? You never know what will actually help and what will blow up in your face and make everything worse.

         "What time is it?" She pulls out her phone. "Right. Drive slowly. I'm a delicate flower and working with needles. I'll just take that. Distracted driving's the new drunk driving, you know." Babe snatches the ringing phone from his pocket. "He's driving." She answers it, hangs up, turns it off and places it in her bra opposite her phone.

        "Cell phones aren't the only source of distracting conversations." He reminds her.

        "Yeah, well, I'll have to give you directions, won't I? Eyes on the road Big guy."

         

         "I still can't believe you let her shave your head." Dean picks at the remains of his third peice of the massive confection. Sam isn't even sure how he could still fit any of that peice at all. Dean apparently decodes he can't and slumps back in the sleeper chair. "Oh, I'm gonna die. This is how I go. Death by Cherpumple. No regrets. I had a good run." Sam's chuckle unfortunately reminds him of what he just said and who he said it to. "That is a scarily good wig, though." He quickly changes the subject, reaching over and attempting to tug it off but he can't really touch it with more than the tips of his fingers without moving more than he's currently able.

         "She's a woman of many talents." Sam smiles putting his hand to the wig.

        "Where did she learn to do that? Probably more pagan stuff." Dean grumbles refusing to say anything more complimentary about that woman.

        "Dean..."

        "We really don't know anything about her. Aside from being in a train wreck and a coma for almost ten years. I mean what the hell kind of teenager was she?"

         "One who obviously had to grow up too fast, of course. Not that we would know anything about that, right?" Sam replies pointedly. "Are you really going to start in on her after eating half her cherpumple?" Dean snickers as Sam realizes how dirty that sounded, and not a little disturbing given he said to Dean about Babe. Though why it should bother him quite as much as it does he has no idea. "You know what I meant."

          "So the dessert fairy makes a mean cherpumple, but the fact remains that we know nothing about her past, her family or what she's running from." Dean points out.

          "It doesn't matter. She's here now helping us, helping me. Why are you so set against her now? I thought it was because of the Aztec thing, but Im starting to think its something else." Sam gives his brother a steady look. Dean just looks at him right back.

          "Please, tell me why I really don't like her if not because of the whole blood sacrifice, pagan worship thing. Enlighten me because I really think thats it." 

          "You're jealous." He states simply. Dean just stares at him a minute.

          "You're still high aren't you?"

          "I mean it. Not romantically obviously as neither of my relationships with either of you two is romantic." Sam ignores the look Dean gives him at this statement. "You're jealous because she's here for me, doing things you can't, taking care of me as much as I'm taking care of her. You're jealous because I'm relying on someone who's not you."

        "Okay, now step it back a little. Because you two are so damn romantic together, it makes me want to puke. You're not fooling any one, Sam, Maybe yourself but I refuse to believe you're really that dense."

         "Thats another thing, if you don't want us together, why do you keep insisting that we both actually do when we say we don't." Sam challenges, not really expecting Dean to have a good answer, and in Sam's opinion he doesn't.

          "Because if you don't admit it to yourself you'll never get over it. And I don't want her taking advantage of your feelings and using or hurting you." 

           "I know you think that but odds are I'm not going to make it to Thanksgiving, so what exactly will she be using me for? How do you think She'll hurt me? Aren't you insisting she's as crazy about me as you say I am about her? And weren't you pushing me to have a fling with her earlier on?"

      "A fling! Not a relationship!"

      " It's not...." Sam stops and takes a breath. "Okay, fine. I'm in love with her and want to spend the rest of my short painful days with her at my side. Are you going to tell me I can't? Are you going to insist on being a complete and utter asshole to the girl I love and ruin not only the time I have left with her, but the time I have left with you as well? Or will you suck it up keep your peace and give us your blessing as my dying fucking wish?" Sam challenges, not quite believing he has to resort to playing into this deluded bullshit. Dean looks ready to argue, but a steady intense glare from his brother in the form of the bitchiest of bitch faces stops him in his tracks.

          "Fine. I'll shut up about it." he finally sighs.

          "Thank you!"Sam sighs throwing up his hand.

          "But when we go fishing, it's just the two of us, and you dont say a word to me about her." Dean lays down the law.

          "Fine, but that goes for you, too." Because he's the one that brings her up half the time.

          "Fine."

 

          "Hey," Babe walks into the hospital room at an obscenely early hour, her hair is a messy puffball and her clothes are all rumpled. A cut and bruise are across her left cheek.

           "Hey."Sam straightens up instantly. "Are you alright? What happened?" 

             "I'm fine and nothing," She says curtly, "I need to use your laptop."

             "Okay." He moves over so she can sit on the inside of bed and pulls the tray table over. "Are you sure nothing happened?"

           "Don't want to talk about it." She looks breifly over to Dean who's asleep in the sleeper chair."Maybe later." She pulls out a peice of paper and brings up an erotica website.

          "What are you..."

          "Humor me, Sam," She says flatly going to the store and orders a very large embarassing dildo with so many bells and whistles it looks as if it were designed by Rube Goldberg. A set of gradiated butt plugs, a horse mask and a few other items he's not sure he wants to ask about. These are sent as a gift to some with the card, 'with complements, Your Peter'.

          "Okay, you can't just do this and not explain." Sam looks at her, expecting amusement, but doesn't find it which worries him more than anything. She just sighsand rests her head against his shoulder before giving Dean closer look, he almost pout turning into a frown as she sees the half finished slice.

          "He ate my peice, didn't he?"

          "You'd know better than I would." The tasteless joke has the hoped for effect of making her face break to a laughing smile and she buries her face in his shoulder, trying to stifle her laughter. Though a snort escapes that makes him smile as well. She and Dean do share a similar sense of humor, he's surprised they domt get along better.

        "That was absolutely obscene, me likey." She lifts her head oddly close to tears. "You sure he's deeply asleep?" She grabs his tissues from the nightstand.

           "Hold on." Sam reaches over and whacks his brother's stomach. "Go get me some coffee, Babe wants to talk to me, in private."

          "What? Fuck that. Sprained ankle remember?" Dean gestures to his foot. "You could have just let me... what the hell?" He notices the receipt on the computer screen. Sam quickly slams shut the laptop. "You know what? Never mind." Hegrabs hus crutche and gets to his feet. "Shall i place a do not disturb sign on the door?"

          "Just close it and knock in case we're not done." Sam sighs. Babe raises an eyebrow at this. "Not done talking." He clarifies as Dean closes the shades and leaves. You have gum in your hair." He notices when she bends forwards to remove her leg. 

        "Wonderful." She rests her head in her hands. Sam just checks to see if there's any ice left in his cup. There is.

           "I'll see if I can get that out." He offers. "You just relax and see if you can tell me what happened." 

            "Can't do both, sample size. But thanks." She heaves a sigh and scoots forwards enough so that he can more easily get at the gum.

            "So...." 

            "So I get there and everything goes as expected. They complain because I'm not an hour early like dana usually is. Never mind that I left as soon as was called. They're out all night usually so we get to sleep in the guest room. I don't usually like to as it means not getting paid until they wake up and thus extra duty first thing inthe morning when he wakes up which isn't included in the pay. Because why not just wake them? Because no one who does is ever allowed to sit again. But if you're up til they get home, they're often tipsy and may tip you. Just make sure you ask if they're sure and get it on the nanny cam."

          "Lovely people,"Sam presses the ice against the gum wad.

         "For some people shoving their kids off on other people is the best thing they can do for them. But i go to sleep around midnight."

          "That early?" He teases.

          "Well, a girl needs her beauty sleep, all this doesn't just happen.you know." She fluffs her hair. "So lucky me, I get woken up to hands up my shirt and breath that could stun a moose." Sam just stills at this. "Daddy had gotten rather tossed and came home early, instead of attending the after party of whatever. Naturally my instinctive response is to rip off my leg and brain him with it. Unfortunately my aim is a little off and it kind of glanced. So he was able to respond by backhanding me with that ugly ass rhine stone ring of his. Thus this beauty."  She points to her cheek.

         "Are you alright? He didn't..." Sam starts. "Not that this isn't bad enough," he hastily adds,

         "No, I got him with the next one, called his wife and left the second she arrived. With pay of course. and just walked here,"

          "You should have called the police."

          "I can't." She says simply. "They're blackmailng me."

          "What? He assaulted you. Besides I have no idea what he thinks you'd be ashamed of."Sam start tryingto extract the frozen gum as mich to try and calm himself as anything else. While she obviously can defend herself just fine. The fact that she even had to just makes his blood boil.

          "Nothing he'd know about. However, a certain bit part I did down in tiajuana was on the movie preview on the tape of another... film. Andif word gets out among other families I'll be blacklisted from pretty much any child care position."

           "What kind of bit part?" He asks, more hoping its not the answer it sounds like. Maybe communist propaganda for north korea, or something for isis.

             "I'll show you," she reopens the laptop and brings up another xxx site. "I was just there doing the choreography. But one of the extras didn't show up and I fit the profile. Plus mostly the costume director hadeen slobbering over my prosthetic leg since I'd gotten there." She presses play on a video,

               "In a world far in the, future." A flash of an aluminum foil covered set with odd geometric shapes cut into the walls and a round bed with red silk sheets. There are two women embracing in the shadows, half wrapped in the covers.

              "Mankind faces extinction at the hands of the greatest threat yet to come. "

                "Oh, Roberta" the bleach blonde with black roots breaks away under the spotlight. "No man has ever done to me to what you do,"

             "That's right. I can do things no man can do." Babe's slightly stilted voice and suggestive leer makes to blonde moan, for some reason, prompting her co star to start kissing her way down the center of her body, "For I am no man."

             "No, she isnt." a man in a shiny crotchless jump suit leaps out from behind a wall. "She's... a robot." He pulls the sheet away revealing her prosthetic leg with frayed wires sloppily duct taped all over it. Ms bad dye job gives a dramatic scream and faints. 

       "LESBIAN ROBOTS FROM OUTER SPACE!" the narrator continues. There's close up on Babe's face during the dramatic music. Her eyes are bright red with bad animation.  Suddenly her head explodes with an off white cartoony pow frame flashing for a second. The scene shifts to the jumpsuited man weilding an incredibly phallic ray gun, plasma dripping from the tip.

       "The future rests on one man. Can he convince the women of earth to return to the pleasures of the flesh from that of carbon fiber? Or will mankind go extinct in the cold embrace of alien androidettes."

        The screen cuts out with a moan.

         "Oh, Dirk..."

        "Directed by Jose Verde. " The narrator continues. "Choreography by Peter Iglesias. Casa Erotica 3000: Man vs Machine!" The title flashest across the sceen in bold neon print.

         "Jose was 'artistic'" Babe makes quotes with her fingers. and waits fora response, but Sam doesn't say anything he just works at the gum in her hair, so she goes to you tube and puts on fasbear and freinds. At the first joke Sam bursts out laughing far more than is appropriate and can't seem to stop until he's practically in tears.

       "That,.. that was..." He clears his throat and goes back to working on the gum. "Was that it? Your whole part I mean?"

        "Yes." She tries to repress a grin. "So bad it's good, huh?"

        "Well, it's very bad. But not that bad. You're not even naked, really, really." He clears his throat again.

         "It was ridiculously terrible, But I made sure the money scenes were decent at best. He kept trying to make me break the laws of physics."She shakes her head. "Definitely paid for the papers though."

         "But still its..." Sam smiles apologetically.

         "Its a topless scene in a porno preview. It's... tastefully done sure, but the fact remains. I don't know why I didn't anticipate any of the clients seeing it." Babe heaves a sigh. "Hopefully he'll keep his mouth shut."

          "Is that who you sent those, um, things to?"

           "Yup. He has a birthday coming up. I sent it to his office. He heads the pr department at a massive Rape prevention and crisis hotline center. Another reason why pressing charges is a bad idea. I'll just have to drive him to suicide with careful harrassment."

         "But if it's traced back to you?"

         "It wont be. I used his credit card info and your laptop is untraceable remember." She turns it off again and reaches back just yanking the gum out of the remaining strands of hair. Sam winces. "Thanks. She tosses it in the trash making it this time, and scoots back to lean against him. "You don't mind do you?"

         "No. Don't worry about Dean though. He'll leave you alone, at least until I die." Sam reassures her. She gives him a skeptical look. "I ended up having to take it a little extreme. He's convinced we're desperately romantically in love with each other." He explains, and relates the conversation. 

        "Alright.  But no outright declarations of love and devotion or I'll puke." she presses the button tilting the bed back to a 45 degree angle.

       "How about 'olive juice'?" Sam suggests. "It looks like l love you from a distance but is really just entertaining nonsense, just like us,"

       "I like the way you think, Sampai." She pats his leg. "Olive juice, toots."

       "Olive juice, Babe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Castiel is familiar with Loki's children and is merely messing with her for trying to manipulate him into helping with the lessons.
> 
> Babe's porn name comes from a singer/songwriter (hint Salisbury Hill) and a fluffy comedian. Can you guess which two?


	20. Family Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another fluffy chapter, filled with humor and male, female, and familial bonding.  
> Involves, a silly photo contest, sam shamelessly taking advantage of his cancer patient status and alot of porn.
> 
> Will be getting fairly dark after Dean's ankle heals and just three more wines, so enjoy it while it lasts kiddies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> unfortunatley I lost the sheet that had Babe's nicknames for Sam and their derivatives and Massam is one of them. I do remember it was from massem but I can't find the right one. Oh google translate. Why have you forsaken me?

       "You want to see me?" Castiel walks up to Babe and Alex as he spots them at the department store counter. "You said it concerned Claire."

       "Yupperoonie." Babe gives him her broadest smile. Claire isn't there and evreything looks peaceful. 

       "You said it was urgent." He frowns. Alex gives a small smile and looks to the make up counter.

      "It is, she's meeting us in a few hours. We're getting her a present and need your help." Babe turns a chair around and pats the seat. Castiel gives her his usually quizzical kitten head tilt, but much to Alex's surprise, complies.

      "We're getting her some makeup for special occaisions." Alex informs him, picking up a pink lipstick to look it over. 

      "Like a first date with a certain goddess. It'll be a fancy restaurant and I want her to dress the part. Hel won't care if she's underdressed, but I know Claire will."Babe explains.

     "I don't see what part you want me to play in this." Castiel frowns. "Not to stop it from happening, I assume."

    "No, no, it's just, its really difficult to pick out makeup for someone else. And the truth of the matter is that Claire... has her father's complextion," Babe's wide sheepish yet hopeful smile at the angel makes him frown.

      "And his eyes." Alex adds looking no less apprehensive. "And similar bone structure."

     "You... want to use my vessel for comparison." Castiel verifies suspiciously. Babe nods, not saying a word, so Alex starts the explanation for her.

    "We can't bring her in because its a surprise and we can't just give her a gift certificate because she'll get practical things with it instead." Alex explains. "I was just going to bring a picture, but..."

    "Why do that when we have you?"Babe gives him an innocent look that instantly put as him even further on his guard. He looks at her for a moment. Her expression doesn't waver.

     "Very well." He nods. "But I will be there when her date arrives for her."

     "Of course." Babe agrees rather quickly and waves to a clerk, giving a sharp whistle. "Sherrie! It's a go!" Castiel can't help but notice Alex sigh and hand Babe a twenty. "She bet you wouldn't do it." Alex just shrugs and turns back. "Oh, hold on," Babe takes out the blonde wig from her purse." Wear this. Hair makes a difference." Unfortunately, this one doesn't fly. They just settle on a yellow kercheif to cover his hair.

 

      "Oh come on." Deam complains when Sam's phone beeps. Sam ignores him and checks.

     'Getting makeup as surprise gift for Claire.' The text says and its followed by a picture of Castiel patiently getting eyeliner applied by the clerk. 'Father figure of the year!'

      "What?" Sam laughs out loud.

     "Your line!" Dean grabs the phone. Sam takes the fishing pole, almoat dropping it and clumsily reels in an empty hook. Only a scrap of worm is left on it. "I'm telling her you lost a fish because of her." Dean decides, ignoring the fact that it was as much Sam's trouble with his hands as anything else. "What the hell?" he frowns at the picture. There's another text as he stares at the phone. "Olive juice?"

      "Don't..." Sam reaches back for it.

      "You are on the phone with her all the time. I'm turning this thing off." Dean switches the phone off and puts it in his shirt pocket. "This is our week, remember?"

      "That was the third time in five days, Dean. Don't exaggerate." Sam slowly treis to re worms his hook without stabbing his finger, though his fingers are still numb. Finally he just gives up and hands it to Dean. Not that he minds pricking his finger, but with his immune system the way it is, he doesn't want to risk infection.

       "Like you're not texting her non stop when you go to bed at night." Dean accuses, handing him back the pole as if it was no big deal, making Sam feel grateful for once that he's picking on Babe instead. Even texting is getting difficult.

       "Can we just fish?" He snaps, reaching for the protein shake in the cooler. Babe sent along a diet plan that much to his surprise Dean is making sure he follows religiously. He even let her instruct him on the massage which was incredibly weird and uncomfortable.

       "I am fishing." Dean reels in his line. There's not much worm on his hook either. "This lake sucks."

       "Yes, it does." Sam sighs then perks up. "Do you want to go to that market with the huge fish tanks and see if they'll let us drop a line? I'll take of my wig, and wear short sleeves so they can see the the IV port." Dean just gives him a surprised but intrigued look.

      "Hell, yes."

      

      "Alright Alex," Babe drags out a box of movies. "Which trilogy? Star Wars original, Star Wars Blasphemy, Star Wars Disney, Tim Burton Batman, Christopher Nolan Batman, OR Three Flavours Cornetto?"

       "What about the Evil Dead Trilogy?" Claire suggests.

        "No. You picked last time, Shaun of the Dead!" Alex votes for the Cornetto trilogy of course.

        "I also have... Toby Mcguire Spiderman, Patrick Stewart Xmen, Macavoy Xmen, Iron Man, Captain America, don't even ask about Thor or the Avengers or ... else." Babe can't seem to think of a suitable threat she'd be willing to follow through on with her freinds. 

        "I'll fight you for it." Claire grins at Alex who just gives her a look. "Oh, hey, look at these."  She pulls out When Harry met Sally, Just Freinds, and Keeping the Faith. "Huh? Huh?" she waves the three like a fan.

        "Ah, the what the hell took them so long trilogy. Seems more than appropriate." Alex teases an unamused Babe and opens the case to When Harry Met Sally. Babe quickly snatches the disc and snaps it in two. Claire hides the other two behind her back.

       "Hand them over, huntress." She demands. This makes Alex burst out laughing, though Claire is not so amused.

       "Hey!Ahhh!" Claire yells ad babe tackles her, trying to grab the movies from her.

       "What's in this tote?" Alex opens the last one, still left under the shelf, as Claire keeps firm, not letting go of the movies even though Babe's started blowing rasberries on her stomach. "Wow, that's a lot of porn." this utterance somehow gets said in a break between claire's shreiks of laughter.

        "What? Let me see?" Claire abandons the romanctic comedies and scrambles out and over to Alex. "Wow is right. Look at that variety though. Damn, Bree, you weren't kidding about that whole depths of perversion thing. Buffet the Vampire Layer. They actually made that?"

        "It's an homage by an independant film maker." Babe informs them primly and breaks the abandoned movies on two,

         "How did you get all of these?" Claire picks up another one.

         "First things I do when the kid's asleep is play find the porn and raid daddy's secret stash for anything I don't have." Babe shrugs. "He's not going to complain about it. Some of this stuff is fairly niche. If its in a fairly open obvious place or with the wife's belongings I leave it alone, but if hubby's really hiding it, he doesn't want the wife to know about it. And he can't ask me about it in case she found and disposed of it and he can't ask her in case I took it and she doesn't know.

        "Though one did try to ask. 'You, uh, didn't, um, borrow any movies, did you? Its okay if you did.. I just...'"She ridiculously lowers her voice mocking the nervous husband.

       "No. Of course not. You're missing a movie?" Claire gives her an innocwnt wide eyed look, "What one? I'll ask Didi in case Junior slipped one into her bag."

        " 'No! No, thats okay. I just remembered, I, uh, lent it to somebody.' " Babe replies, making Claire start to snicker.

       "Oh my god!" Alex picks up two shrink wrapped identical movies. "Is this what I think it is?"

       "Holy shit!" Claire turns back and takes one. "Casa Erotica 3000: Man vs Machine" she uses her narrator voice.

       "Why do you have two?" Alex asks. "Is one blue ray?"

        "No. One's for Dean. He wanted a copy of the movie I was making, so its his christmas present. Think he'll be visibly disturbed and put off porn forever?" Babe grins. "Or at least just surprised."

        "No, he kind of assumed thats what you were doing in Tiajuana. It's only sam who thought you were running drugs." Claire corrects her, much to her consternation. "Hey, I thought you were doing the choreography."

         "I did. That's my psuedonym." 

         "Peter Iglesias?" Alex frowns. "How'd you come up with that?"

         "I had a goldfish named Iglesias and lived on Peter Lane." Babe lies, not even trying to be believed. Alex just rolls her eyes and drops the subject

         "We have to watch this." Claire starts to unwrap one.

          "Woah, easy there, blondie." Babe quickly takes it from her. "While I have no objections to that personally. Alex is still underage and your fathers would kill me." Babe tucks it into her pants. "It is hillarious, though. Most of them are. Sex is so absurd, its amazing how anyone can watch this without laughing. But I guess that's what they need  choreographer for. The classics are the ultimate riot. Hold on let me get.... no... no..." Babe shakes her head putting the movies back in. "I am the only adult here, without ridiculously overprotective parents." She quickly adds. "I have to be the responsible one." 

       "Stop calling them that. They're not my parents." Claire snaps plopping onto the nest of pillows.

        "Oh please, they've totally adopted you and you know it." Babe looks over at the girl.

         "They are constantly checking in with jody about you and sending some money for clothes and things when    they can. Well, for both of us but they didn't really start until you came. It's kind of sweet."

       "Yeah, well, who asked them to?" Claire protest.

       "You did remember? You called Castiel." Alex reminds her making Claire wish she hadn't told her about that. "And your father." She almost looks as if she regrets adding that but its true. That part was even in the books. 

        Claire just crosses her arms and leans back against the wall, though she looks interested when Babe checks her phone and bursts out laughing. Alex looks at it and follows suit so Claire has to go see what it is. .Babe holds the phone out to show a picture of Dean and Sam in life jackets and fishing hats, sitting on decorated lifeguard chairs that are part of a display with fishing poles and lines in a couple live fish tanks between the deli and seafood sections. The next photo is of both of them with a line of fish each hugging the store manager who's laughing and blushing at the same time. The text. 'Our new best freind, Maria.'

        "What the hell?"

        "Fishing." Babe grins. "Probably in return for the pictures I sent them of Castiel getting a free make over."

       "What pictures?" Claire starts to scroll up but Babe snatches the phone away. Almost as if there were mushy embarassing texts she doesn't want her to see. 

      "I'll send them to you. But now we have to send some funny pics right back." Babe considers, "Do you have your mustaches with you?" They takea few pictures of them all wearing the blonde mustaches around the big box o porn. One of Claire looking sketchily to the side, while sneaking one into her jacket. One of Alex pretending to faint into Babe's arms at the sight of one of the admittedly more extreme ones. And one of Babe smoking a bubblegum cigar inside a little fort made of the dvd cases on her 'bed'. While holding a quickly made white flag with a downward facing open tailed Jesus Fish.

         "You have the fish the wrong way," Alex points out helpfully. 

          "No I don't and its not a fish." She grins, waggling her eyebrows. Claire just bursts out laughing and takes the picture. There's a polite knock on the door.

          "I'll get it." Claire tosses the phone back and opena the door. "Oh," She steps back looking a bit surprised.

           "You're not ready?" Hel asks. A safe assumption as Claire's barefoot in just her jeans, a dirty tshirt and the false mustache. Especially since Hel is in a striking red dress with a black laced collar slit down to her belly button and a loose black belt hanging on her hips that Claire can't stop looking at.

         "What makes you say that" Bane teases. Claire remembers herself and quickly takes the mustache off.

         "You're early." She says defensively, "By about eight hours."

         "I am not. We said nine oclock." Hel responds equally defensively.

         "It's one in the afternoon."

         "No, it's... ah." The goddess suddenly looks embarrassed. "Time zones," Claire hears Babe laughing which just embarrasses Hel even more. "I made reservations..." She explains looking disappointed, though its her own fault."But... we can reschedule... or I could..." She lifts her hand offering to snap Claire into something more suitable.

          "No, no, we have things for her to change into. She'll be dressed and ready in a few minutes. Go claim the table and order appetizers and come back in ten minutes." Babe calls out.

          "I do need to shower." Claire adds regretting the words as soon as she says them.

         "Make it fifteen then. We'll have her ready." Babe promises, climbing out of the porn castle. Hel looks at the structure and back at Babe again.

        "This sort of thing is why we're not together, aiskling." she motions to the entire scene. "You know I disapprove of smoking." Babe finds this hillarious and shoos Claire into the bathroom. "Soon, mon Claire." Hel dissappears. When she's gone and Claire is showering babe picks up her phone and dials.

        "Hey, it's me. There was a time zone mix up. She's here to get Claire, now, well, in fifteen minutes.Think you can make it? Great." She hangs up and texts the pictures to Sam. "So, Alex, do you still want a movie marathon or do you want to go to the park and frolic with the todders.

         "Lets save the movies for when Claire gets back." She replies starting to put the porn castle away just as  Sam conveniently texts Babe back, taking her away from the clean up.

      'Please tell me you're not watching porn with the girls.'

      "Don't be silly, Massam. I'm being a responsible adult sheltering the poor innocent babes in my care.'

       'With a porn fort.'

       'Excuse you, it is not a porn fort it is a porn castle because we are princesses and princesses deserve castles. Thank you very much."

         "Ah, I should have known from the regal and bounteous stache of nobility upon thee. Seriously though. What the hell?'

        'See this way all the demons and corrupters of souls will see it and think, well, obviously I'm not needed here. Having fun?' It takes a minute for him to reply, because of laughter she assumes.

        'Yes. Is this a picture contest then?'

        'You bet, Samshine.'

        'Challenge accepted. Will get one by tonight.' There's a knock at the door.

       'Gotta go, Cas here. Olive juice, toots.'

       'Olive juice.'

     "Hey, pasha! That was quick." She opens the door. 

      "Where is she?" He demands striding into the apartment.

      "Claire is in the bathroom getting ready and Hela is at the restaurant holding the table until then. She hasn't really dated outside the netherlands in a while and forgot about time zones. Though it was probably more because she's nervous. I think she really likes Claire."

      "As what?" Castiel asks suspiciously. Babe just sighs and rolls her eyes. Then his glance falls on the porn castle Alex is dissembling. The dark look he gives her at this needs no narration.

      "It was just for a picture competition, thats all. "Alex quickly takes off her mustache and just starts dumping them in the large tote. Babe's trying not to laugh. "Did they send you the fishing picture?" 

      "I don't think that qualifies as fishing." Castiel frowns, which cracks Babe up.

      "Alright, what are you loosers doing in.... Jesus!" Claire comes out of the bathroom inundies and towel wrapped hair, only to turn around and go right back into the bathroom when she catches sight of Castiel.

         "No, its Castiel." Babe shouts after her. Cas' lips twitch breifly into a smile.

         "Why is Castiel here?" She does not sound pleased.

         "You are going on an unadvisable date with.."

         "Your neice?" Babe inserts a bit frostily but is ignored.

          "A norse goddess. I am here to make certain she's well aware of who's protection you're under." 

          "Seriously?" Claire complains as Alex brings her the leisure suit she selected.

          "Are you bringing protection?" the question makes Alex bite her lip not to laugh, though babe snickers at it.

         "I have my gun and some mistletoe. I know plenty of sigils, so don't worry." Claire ignores the girls, knowing full well what he means.

        "Plus you don't have to worry about stds with gods. Just babies, not that its an issue here." Babe just has to add, earning her the bird from a hand extended through a crack in the door.

        "This is their first date." Castiel chides her.

        "I dunno, my girl can be quite the charmer." Babe teases.

        "Don't tease him, Bree. And Cas I am a grown woman who I do what with is my own damn business. And I don't give a whit how charming she is, I'm not putting out on a first date so relax."

        "You've gone home with a few people from the bar."Babe reminds her much to her chagrin.

        "That's different. A hook up is a hook up. I know better than to just hook up with a goddess. Besides she says she wants to date, so we're dating."

        "Dating a pagan god is seldom smarter." Castiel adds getting a sullen mocking look from Babe that he pretends not to see.

        "Well, luckily I'm a grown woman and can make my own decisions on who or what I date." Claire finally comes out, the hunter green leisure suit over the mistletoe red blouse, suits her perfectly. The clip holding her hair back is a perfect match as are the lipstick and eyeliner.

       "Damn, looking good, Baby Blue." Babe whistles appreciatively.

      "I'm not talking to you. I know you're responsible for this." She points to Cas.

       "Gabrielle did the mature responsible thing by informing me of this. Something you should have done." But Claire just looks unimpressed.

       "That's a bald faced lie."Babe protests indignantly, "It was for entertainment purposes only. It had nothing to do with maturity or responsibility, I swear by all that is." She crosses her heart, Alex is the only amused by this, though mostly by the near identical withering looks Claire and Castiel give the maligned one. "I wuv you." She pouts. Neither is moved.

        "I have your spare key and know where your razors are. I'm just saying." Claire takes out her phone and texts Hel who instantly appears in the apartment. "Lets go. Now." She half begs half commands, but Hel's noticed Castiel and steps forwards to greet him.  "Hel, this is Castiel, one of my fathers comrades in arms," He actually looks slightly touched by the label despite the reluctant introduction. "Castiel, this is Hela, my date for the evening."

       "Hello, uncle, I remember you from Bara's funeral last year. The dog," She explains at his confused expression. "You're not as cold as you were." Hel frowns, not wanting to bring up her first introduction to him from television as the whole 'New God' thing a year or so after the averted western apocalypse as it obviously didn't take. But it doesn't seem like this event is much better to have mentioned.

         "I... was not in control ofmy body at the time." Castiel states sounding equally embarrassed. "But I do vaguely remember you and two men giving a small dog a viking funeral. My ..... occupier found it amusing and had me pay my respects." He admits looking breifly over to Babe who's oddly silent.

         "Those were my brothers Jormungandr and Fenrisulfr. We just call them Yuri and Rhys though. It was our father's dog."

         "I'm sorry for your loss. Gabriel was a brave angel who once blessed the heavens with song and laughter. I hope he made your days equally joyful and far less exhasperating than he did ours."

       "Well, he was often slightly more exhasperating than he was brave, and kind and generous to a fault to those he loved. I hope to emulate him in that regard." Babe looks a bit uncomfortable at this. 

        "That said, Claire is my charge and if you harm her, I will do everything in my power to avenge her." He looks steadily at the goddess. Clairejust sighs and covers her eyes, careful not to smear her eyeliner. Hel is not the least disturbed and takes out an envelope before responding.

       "Of course. Here is our itinerary, along with my cell number, I assume you have Claire's, and also the numbers for our destinations. I will inform Gabrielle in case of any alterations to our plans. And will have her back by this sunset. I will of course extend her my protection against any hostile being should we encounter any, though I feel confident my assistance would be a mere formality with a formidable young huntress, such as Ms. Novak." She gives a fond glance to Claire who's blushing a little.

       "She is a very capable young woman. The both of you have a pleasant afternoon." Castiel nods to them.

       "We will. And please do call me some time. I'd love to hear stpries about my father in his angelic days." Hel gets a small grin, extending her hand.

       "Of course. I do have several amusing anecdotes." Castiel accepts it properly, breifly clasping her arm just above the wrist.

       "You both suck!" Babe crosses her arms. "No sense of drama."

       "Not everyone leaves theworld a chaotic wreck in their wake, aiskling." Hel smacks her a kiss. "Shall we go?" She offers Claire her arm.

          "Please." She takes it and heads out of the apartment.

          "Pardon the walk. There was me interference getting in." they hear as they leave.

         "That was not entertaining. At all." Babe walks over to the fridge to take out her insulin pack.

          "Maybe not for you." Alex grins. Castiel looks vaguely amused himself, but frowns and walks over to Babe as she rubs her cheek with the back of her hand. Sheacvidentally wiped off some concealer revealing part of the fading bruise and healing cut.

       "What happened to your cheek?" He turns her head to examine it more closely.

       "Nothing important. Alex and I are off to the park, so." She brushes his hand away.

        "If you're in some kind of trouble, please tell us. I know Sam would not appreciate being kepy uninformed."

        "He knows. It happened before he left . As I said, it's nothing important." Babe heads into the bathroom to reapply the makeup,

           "Would you like to come with us? We're going to play with the kids in the playground, drum up some business for Babe. Its been a slow week apparently. Which is odd, but it happens." Alex informs him.

          "Very well."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am all caught up typing the completed chapters so it may take a bit longer in between, but rest assured, as long as you keep reading and commenting I will keep writing.


	21. Patiencia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Babe becomes a pariah and a hero all in the same afternoon. And get the location for vino temperencia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Patiencia (patience)
> 
> Forbearance that comes from moderation; enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity.  
> Building a sense of peaceful stability and harmony rather than conflict, hostility, and antagonism; resolving issues and arguments respectfully, as opposed to resorting to anger and fighting.  
> Showing forgiveness and being merciful to criminals and sinners.

          The looks on the women's faces as Babe approaches the playground is not promising and she's instantly on her guard. There's some whispering and one of the older women strides over to meet her as the children are called back to their carers.

            "Hey, Anna." Babe says cautiously, not entirely sure she likes the look on her face. "Hows tricks?"

            "None of us will be requiring your services any more, Ms. Callisto. She says cooly. "And our employers are adament that you no longer be allowed near their children, either." Babe is silent for a moment. Alex and Castiel are still tracking an extremely fuzzy caterpillar that's been inching its way across the walk way and protecting it from being crushed. "If you don't leave, we will."

            "May I ask the reason why?" Though she's fairly sure she already knows.

           "Your illustrious film career has been brought to everyone's attention."

           "What career. I was an emergency extra." Babe protests. "What difference should that make anyways even it it was. The children won't know, unless someone shows it to them. In which case there's someone actually dangerous to their welfare to focus your attention on."

            "Doesn't matter. No one wants someone of your immoral character to associate with their children."

            The blatant hypocracy of this kind of statement pisses Babe off to no end. She knows for a fact that Elenore is sleeping with the father of her charge, Marie is stealing food, and even the fact that the person who found this out was likely a parent and that means the children are being raised by people who paid money to watch strangers have sex on screen. It's infuriating. How many of them have secrets that would cost them their jobs. And who the hell is the one who ratted her out and to every body, at that?

            "Everyone feels this way?"

           "Yes."

           "Okay then." Babe rallies herself, not wanting to cause a scene in front of the kids, already upset at not getting to play with their Auntie Bibi. "Change of plans, fellas. I'm officially persona non grata now." She takes out her phone and checks the shipping order. "And it hasn't even shipped yet." She considers adding a few things, but what's the point? It'll just make things escalate even more and maybe even end in a lawsuit against her. Or jail time. The whole thing probably wouldn't be very good for the kid, either honestly. She sighs and deletes the order entirely. "Looks like I'll be doing Dos Machina after all." She sighs.

          "What? Why?"Alex looks up. Castiel just looks confused. Babe is content to keep it that way.

          "My little cameo in Man vs Machine. Apparently someone spread the word around and I've been blacklisted." Babe looks down at the fuzzy caterpillar. "Doesn't seem to want to get out of harms way does he?"

          "He seems to be going somewhere specific." Castiel stands behind it and looks in the direction it's been going. There's a tree a little ways off near the stairs up to the walkway. "That's likely it. I did see some other similar caterpillars making their way up the trunk." he considers and places his hand down in front of it, guiding it up onto his palm with the other.

           "There's another one." Alex runs ahead, and picks it up, dropping it onto Cas' palm so they have company. "And I wouldn't go that far, I know you have savings, and you can sing like crazy. Why not try to be a lounge singer or waitress or something." Alex falls back next to Babe who's strolling slightly behind him. "Is that a mulberry tree? Think it's a silk worm?"

           "No." Babe grins, "But there might be some mulberries. Ever had mulberry wine?" She looks around and grabs an abandoned plastic bag from the ground. There aren't any holes, which is good. 

           "No."

           "I need something very part time so I can keep taking care of Sam. My savings won't last forever." Babe looks for the best way to reach the few remaining ripe berries. "For not five minutes of screen time and no actual sex on camera, I loose my livelihood. I hate being a woman. I can't even sue anybody. And I can't snap my fingers and turn the assholes into naked molerats either."

           "Why naked mole rats?"

           "Why not?" Babe shrugs. "I can't believe that used that dumb scene for the trailer. What kind of porn trailer doesn't show people having sex. That stupid art film reject. He was somebody's son, you know."

           "Most men are." Castiel says, putting his hand against the trunk. Babe just stops and looks at him a second. 

         "I'm kind of hoping that was a joke, but I'm not sure." She looks at him suspiciously.

         "Probably." Alex shrugs. Castiel just ignores them. There's a bunch of mulberries on the branches up by the side of the steps going up the hill the trees on. Babe heads up the steps a bit slowly and stands on the railing of the stairs near the top, wedging her foot into one of the decorations so she can balance without slipping. 

         "Mommy! Mababerries!" They hear and look up to see  three year old boy, haul himself up into the wall on the top of the bridge leaning out to try and grab a bunch. Predictably the berry he grabs lets loose quicker than he expected and he falls. Without thinking, Babe hurls herself towards him, catching him before he hits the ground. Unfortunately, her false leg is still wedged in the railing and the force and angle, not only break the knee joint but dislocate her hip, tearing several muscles and somehow manages to bend and rip the screw out of her stump. Fortunately the resistance her leg provides gives Castiel the second he needs to keep her from slamming into the ground or concrete wall, neck and shoulders first.

          "Are you alright, child?" Castiel asks as Babe concentrates on not cursing or panicking as his mother seems to be doing.

           "I'm okay. I'm okay, mommy!" He waves up at her. The panicked woman looks relieved. "Are you a cyborg?" He asks Babe with awe as he notices her stuck, booted but clearly mechanichal leg. 

          "Of course."Babe forces a grin. "You think some simple human could pull off slick moves like that? Please." 

         "Are you a cyborg, too?" He askod Castiel.

        "Nah, he's my guardian angel." Babe nods to him as he gently eases them to the grass. This gets a skeptical look. "What? Even cyborgs need guardian angels too, you know." She sounds offended enough that the boy accepts it.

         "Can he fix your leg, then?" He climbs off Babe to look at it. Castiel is examining the profusely bleeding leg and takes off his tie to make a touriquet.

         "He can only fix the human parts. I need a mechanic for the robot parts." She explains.

        "Isn't that blood?"

        "Nope. Motor oil. It just looks like blood, made special to help me blend in." 

        "Tommy..." his mother is slowly pushing a double stroller with a baby in back down the side of the slope on the other side of the stairs. "Thank you so much." She grabs the boy and hugs him.

        "I've already called 911 they'll be here shortly."Alex puts her phone away. "With a mechanic." She adds at the boys suspicious expression. "Though you will have to go back to the garage.

         "Mommy, she's a cyborg!"

         "Will you be alright?" The woman asks looking at the leg stuck in the railing.

         "Oh yeah, I just need a new screw knock out a few dents, that's all. Why don't you go take him in and have him checked out just in case." Babe suggests. "I held onto him pretty tightly, i may have crushed him with my super strong cyborg arms," she raises a fist.

        "No you didn't." The boy shakes his head.

        "Then you must be super strong. Maybe you're a cyborg,too!"

        "Noooo." He laughs, "Im just a boy."

         "I'll bring him right away. What's your name?"

         "Gabrielle Callisto. And this little guy?"

          "Tommy. I'm Mara Wilcox. Here's my business card." She takes one out, handing it to Castiel. "If you need anything, help with hospital bills, you let me know." 

          "Sure, but I have that covered." Babe gives her the thumbs up and covers her eyes with her arm.

          "Bye Gabrel the cyborg." Tommy waves. Babe waves back with her free hand. 

         "He can say cyborg but not Gabrielle." Alex comments, texting on her phone.

          "Kids. Its even funnier with dinosaur names. Aunni bibi i wan see uh stegosaurus fie a pterodactyl. I do shadow puppets sometimes. With cuts out and stuff; my fingers arent quite that flexible. So, I probably should have let you take this one, huh, big blue."

         "Yes. Are you in pain?"Castiel asks.

         "No, angel, having a metal screw ripped from your bone is actually quite pleasant. Not that I know why that actually happened." Babe snaps. "Fairly sure I wrenched my hip out of joint. And do not tell Claire or Sam about this. Let them finish their time with their darlings in peace."

      "Too late." Alex gives a guilty smile.

      "Oh for..." 

      "She probably wont even check her phone until she's done. Claire usually turns it off for dates and hookups." Alex reassures her. Babe's phone rings of course.

      "Hello," Babe sings picking up the phone.

       "Babe, what happened? Where are you and why didn't you call me,"

       "Nothing happened, sample size. Im no where and there's nothing to tell. Just go back to your trip with your brother and have fun. I'll see you on saturday."

         "Gabrielle, the paramedics are here." Castiel loudly informs her.

         "Was that Cas? What did he say about perimedics?"

         "Its nothing. I'm fine." She lies soothingly.

         "The last time you said something like that you sacrificed yourself to an Aztec god and got a decades worth of nightmares in return, the truth, Babe. now," Samshine is pissed, which is the last thing she needs right now.

         "Oh fine hold on. Cas could you tell him?" She hands him the phone as the emt's come over. "Heya, fellas, got any morphine?"  

          

        "What is wrong with you?" Is Hela's greeting as she's brought back from xray. Claire doesn't look too happy herself. "You have to recognize your limitations. You can't be doing foolish things like this in your condition not when you have Castiel right there." The goddess scolds her.

         "Excuse me, but are you seriously saying she shouldn't have tried to save a toddler? Just because she has one leg doesn't make her an invalid."Claire snaps at Hel much to Babe's surprise. She expected the girl to call her a dumb ass at least.

        "This is beyond your perview child, and yes she is an invalid because of her actions. She was reckless, as she always is. And this time she got hurt, seriously hurt. You could have been killed." Hel just stops, turns and storms out of the room.

       "Was she always this overprotective? Because that would be good to know." Claire sits down on the chair next to Babe.

       "No,I'm fairly sure its because of the accident and coma and thinking I was dead." Babe sighs. "We never really did talk about that properly. I don't suppose you could bring her back in. I need to have a word with her."

        "Sure." Claire shrugs and gets up. "Worst first date ever." She mutters walking out of the room just as Castiel shows Dean and Sam to the room.

       "What did she say about a date? Claire had a date?" Dean turns back to look at the well dressed girl and runs after her before Castiel can stop him. Apparently his ankle is up to snuff now.

       "Who was the tall brunette?" Sam asks, 

        "Just an old freind from before the coma. Hela, goddess of the underworld."

        "Mictlan?" Sam asks.

        "No, Helheim." Babe corrects. Sams eyes widen. "Yeah. Coacoa sold me out but she's freindly. Its okay."

        "So, I guess you really are pansexual then." Sam's grin gets one from babe.

        "You have no idea. I had kind of a wild youth." She confesses. "I'm must more mature and responsible than I was."

       "I don't know whether to hope you're lying or not." Sam gives her a thoughtful look.

       "I told you I was fine. I didn't want you to come back early for this." Babe looks out to the right fork of the hallway where Dean is getting all protective, clearly angering and embarassing Claire and threatening Hel while Cas tries to run interference. Hela just looks mildly amused. The worst thing is that they're far enough away that she can't hear them.

         "I'd better go step in." Sam watches as well.

         "I'll get Claire and send Hel in." Alex puts her book down and follows him out.

 

         "She actually left me there." Claire seethes to Alex as they watch Hel and Babe talk through the room windows. "It started out great. The place was nice with the most comfortable loveseats instead of dining chairs. I coldn't understand anything but Hel translated, though I'm sure she made some things up.

        "So we're just finishing our main course when we begin talking about pictures and keepsakes and what they did before photography which was incredibly interesting. She steals my phone to search my photo gallery for embarassing pictures. I try to get it back of course, but giantess that she is, she holds it up out of reach, then stops when she sees your text I guess and just vanishes.  Leaving me behind.

       "I had to text her to come back. I didn't even look at my texts right away because I was wondering what the hell I was going to do about the check because I didn't have any money on me much less doitch marks or whatever they used wherever we were."

         "Wow." Alex inhales sharply through her teeth. "Looks like she's still not over her ex, huh."

          "You think?" Claire scowls. "Well, Bree's definitely over her."

          "Right." Alex looks at the pair, Hel is leaning over to give her a very tight looking, affectionate hug. Babe just pats her back and speaks softly to her.

         "She'd better not have been using me to make Babe jealous, that's all I can say." Claire takes the barette out of her hair and throws it to the ground before storming off somewhere. Alex is more surprised Claire ever agreed to date a pagan goddess in the first place. She must really like her.

           Sam on the other hand is just standing in the other leg of the corridor staring at the two completely lost in thought. Alex isn't too sure what's going through his mind, not jealousy. Of course with a second look it does seem more like they're just close. Babe actually looks a little motherly oddly enough. Sam's face is just serious, slightly troubled and a little sad, too. When Hel comes back out of the room, finally, looking for Claire, he walks up to her and quietly asks her something.

      "Of course, but I should go after my Claire." She looks around the hall.

      "No, give her a minute to cool down." Alex picks up the hair clip and hands it to Hel. "She's kind of pissed."

        "Alright, then," Hel takes the clip back, looking sadly at it. "I have a moment now, then, but you should know that if you're going to threaten me with greivious bodily harm if I hurting Claire, your brother's already covered that. My uncle as well." Though a hint of a smile shows she's not offended.

       "No," Sam shakes his head." I didn't want to discuss Claire at all. Could you go some where a bit more private to talk?"

        "Very well," She raises an eyebrow and follows him off down the hall.

         "This isn't even that bad of an injury. I just needed a new screw," Babe complains as Alex goes into the room, returning to her self assigned corner.

       "And you'll need surgery to put your hip back, broke the bone open somehow, and needed to have them stitch up some major arteries that got nicked when the screw tore through your bone like cardboard." Alec reminds her.

       "Yeah, yeah," Babe rolls her eyes, "Though not the hip. Hel put that back in place herself. I'll just tell them it popped back when I moved trying to get comfortable. Why would you interrupt their date with this? "

        "I'm sorry. Claire's kind of put out over Hel ditching her to go to you, and also worried because you were hurt, but you know. It really looks a little like your ex isn't quite over you. Though i guess it depends on how you look at it." Alex sits down, taking her book back. 

          "I'll have to clear things up about that, I really will." Babe sighs. "She's not interested in me that way. She's just a big old mushy mama bear thats all. Where's Sam? Wasn't he out in the hall with you?" She looks out the window for him?

         "He went to go talk to Hel about something." Alex informs her casually. Her statement seems to worry Babe for some reason. "How are you feeling?"

          "My nonexistant right foot itches making me seriously question the design of the human nervous system."

           "Ms. Callisto." The doctor knocks on the door, the physical therapiat at his side, not pleased at all to see Babe again. "Can we have a word?"

           "Of course." Babe nods and grins at the physical therapist. "Hey, Sally, bet you never thought you'd see me again, huh?"

          "Actually, no. I knew I would. I'm only surprised it took so long. Is this your fiancee Sam?" She nods to Alex.

        "No, I'm Alex, just a freind."

        "Well, Ms. Alex do you have any influence with this woman at all?" The question sounds almost desperate.

         "No, not really. I'll go find Sam." Alex heads back out again.

         "I'll wait."Sally the physical therapist sits down. "In the mean time you can tell me what the hell you've been doing to this leg."

          

      "I can't do physical therapy. I have to get another job." Babe protests.

      "If you don't do this you risk damaging yourself even worse than you already have. If money is an issue right now you can speak to our social worker, she'll be able to help you apply for benefits." The physical trainer counters. 

       "You are also aware that my fiancee is dying of cancer and every second I spend doing physical therapy is a moment away from him in what could be his last." Babe shamelessly pulls the dying lover card.

        "Not as much as working." The trainer is coldly unsympathetic. "If you'd done so earlier when you were supposed to, you wouldn't be in this position now.

        "This is important. Your life will last well beyond my death. I won't be your excuse for making it worse than it has to be by neglecting to do what you need to do."Sam says firmly, also unsympathetic.

        "I will ensure she attends." Hel finally speaks. "No arguments." She crosses her arms, looking sternly at the rebellious amputee. Babe sighs and nods.

       "As soon as the bone heals around the screw, and your replacement leg is finished, we will start working on learning to use it properly. " Dr. Sally hands business cards to both Sam and Hel. "As soon as the sutures heal we can begin working on improving your bone density. It's very important you work with your dietician on this. As you can see years of disuse have left them very fragile. We managed to keep your muscles from atrophying too much, but thats it."

      "I'll make sure she does everything  she's supposed to." Hel repeats.

      "Good. Well, thats all for now, it was a pleasure meeting you both."

       "Likewise," Sam replies. Hel just gives a regal nod.

        "Rhys is courting Hlockk, so he'll be willing to take over for me for a few hours when I need it." Hel tucks the card into a nonexistant breast pocket. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go apologize to my date, if she'll still even speak to me." She looks at the clip in her hand and sighs. "Oh yes, that thing you asked me, I spoke to the nagini in nepal and they're fairly sure that the nagarajah Mucilinda either has or knows the location of a large jar of old wine like the ones you seek. Remember though, you must be polite and respectful."

        "Thank you," Babe smiles a grateful smile at her.

        "Yes, thank you," Sam looks at the  goddess astonished. She just gives him a wink and walks out. "She's helping us?"

         "Well, she is courting Claire, helping out her parental figures on a quest to save a beloved uncle is par for the course. Besides she has to get bored ruling helheim. its good for her to be able to get out more than once a month. And good for Rhys to take on a little responsibility. No matter how old he gets, he's still such a puppy." Babe gives a fond smile, shaking her head. "So," she quickly heads off the inevitable questions, "You and Hel had a private chat?"

       "You don't need to worry. She didn't tell me any embarrassing secrets. I just wanted to talk to her about her father, offer my condolences, let her know what he did for everyone, pagan and human alike. We never could have done it without him, and I thought whatever their relationship, she deserved to know." Sam looks uncomfortably out the windows to the streets outside. "She just smiled and thanked me for telling her.  It's hard to believe he raised someone like her, honestly."

         "She takes after her mother. Babe comments, "Very tall, very strong willed, very responsible. She also has her eyes and her hands."

          "Oh?" Sam gives him an odd look at noticing those rather specific details.

         "Well, you know what they say, you look at the mother to see the daughter's future," Babe shrugs it off. "I'm sorry about your trip."

          "Don't be, wed gotten tired of fishing and were on our way back anyhow.  We thought we'd take everybody to six flags while the weather is still good. We'd meant to.before the whole cancer thing reared its ugly head. But since it has we're going to get me a wheel chair and a doctors note and skip to the front of the lines."

          "Well, get me a wheel chair too and we can knock off the rides twice as fast." Babe offers. "It'll be weeks before my leg heals enough for a prosthetic again."

         "Sounds good, provided you're discharged in time." Sam sits down on the sleeper chair taking her tv control. Shall we watch something? Dia de Los Guapas is on I think." 

          "Sounds perfect." Babe raises the back of the bed slightly, hopefully they'll give her more meds soon. Hel is such a sweetheart. Hopefully she and Claire will makeup.


	22. The Dietary Needs of the King Cobra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas and Dean go to Bodhgaya for Vino Temperencia, meet some Canadian tourists, encounter way too many snakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In certain areas of mysticism, Gabriel is considered a woman and referred to as the high preistess. Not making it up. So Dean is being accidentally appropriate in his nickname.

      "So get this,"Sam speaks loudly into the phone, trying to be heard over the noise in the background. "The Nagarajah Mucilinda sheltered Siddhartha Guatama from the rain and cold when he meditated. They have a statue at the lotus pond comemorating the event. It's reputed to be the actual site, so that would be the place to start looking for him."

       "Yeah, but where's the lotus pond? There are like a bajillion temples here." Dean looks around the market place. The tops of temples litter the horizon.

       "You want the Mahabodhi Temple. Here I'll send a picture." And he sends an image of an enormous pointed tower looming above everything else.

       "You know, you could have just said it was the big one."

      "It's the big one." Sam says dryly. "Now, the naga are worshipped in their own right, so its best to approach him as a god and not a gate keeper. Which means bring an offering. Lets see... the appropriate one seems to be milk, kadalai urundai and nilvara payasam."

      "What the hell are those?"

     "Kadalai urubdai are peanut balls and nilvara payasam is a kind of rice pudding." 

     "So feed it."

     "Basically. Since the Nagarajah Mucilinda has seven heads I'd bring seven servings of each. Just to be safe."

    "Seven heads? Like a hydra?"

    "No, like a nagarajah. They're king cobra heads, he used the hoods as an umbrella to keep the rain off Buddah,"

     "So how do we kill it?" Dean asks, feeling quite reasonable in doing so.

     "You don't. Snake gods are pnly hostile if you're hostile to them or their subjects. They're generally considered wise and benevolent beings, so just be nice, and polite."

     "Nice. Polite. To snakes."

     "Maybe Cas should take the lead on this one." Sam suggests.

     "I can be nice. And polite." Dean protests. 

     "Look, Mucilinda isn't harmful. And if you kill a benevolent pagan god that Hel led you to, there will be problems. At the very least she won't help us any more and at the worst... well, she is Gabriel's daughter, do you really want to piss her off?"

      "I'm not blindly trusting the goodwill of a pagan godess, especially not one trying to get in Claire's pants. Find out how to kill it. I want to know how in case things go south." Dean demands.

    "I'll look into it." Sam sighs, sounding very tired and frail all of a sudden.

    "Look, nevermind, just don't... don't push yourself okay?" Dean softens a bit. "How are your hands?" 

    "They're fine."

    "Having trouble typing?"

   "Just a little. Im just slower than usual thats all. Its fine. Hey, is that little belgian freind of yours with you?" Sam asks mischeivously desperately changing the subject.

     "No thank God."Dean takes a breath and searches the crowds for Cas. Shouldn't be hard as they're some of the tallest people there. Of course, Cas in in a corner petting some child's monkey. "I've had enough crazy for a while. He's psycho enough to pick a fight with a seven headed snake god just for shits and giggles."

      "That's good. Oh, I booked you two a room in the Hotel Buddah International for three nights. Let me know if you need more. I've emailed you the reservation."

      "Thanks. Want me to bring you back a souvenir?"

      "Sure, got any helper monkeys who  can type?" Sam's only half joking.

     "Monkeys yes, helpful no. Don't worry, I'll have pictures at the very least. Take care, Sam. Tell the high preistess and her alcolytes to behave themselves."

        "Later, Dean," Sam hangs up. The marketplace seems to be thinning out a little so he heads towards Cas.

       "Cas!" Dean makes his way over." We have reservations at Hotel Buddah. lets go get checked in and start planning before you have to skidaddle back to heaven." Cas gives the monkey a final pat on the head and turns back to Dean 

      "How is Sam? His fever hadn't returned has it?"

      "No. He's started chemo again finally. Six flags was a bad idea. We might as well have gone to new york and tossed him into the east river." Dean winces, remembering the scsthing lecture given to them by Sam's oncologist when he got sick the day he was supposed to start the next session. He spent three days on antibiotics instead and it took almost the entire travel time from South Dakota to New Dehli for them to feel okay starting him again. Babe refused to leave his side except for when she was dragged off by Hel to do her bone density building exercises. "His hands are giving him trouble though, so lets try to take care of most of the research ourselves."

        "Agreed."

 

       Dean stares at the massive wall, complete with guard posts surrounding the temple. That wasn't in the picture.

     "Hey, " he nudges an american looking tourist with a camera around their neck. "When did this happen?" He points to the wall.

      "Oh, Hey. Tom Carrey, Nova Scotia." The man introduces himself, offering his hand. 

      "Dean Singer, South Dakota." Dean shakes it. "This is Cas."

      "Good ta meetcha, freind." Tom shakes Cas's hand as well. "Always nice to meet another couple. Dean, Cas, this is Barney, my husband." He pulls at a man next to him. "Barney, Dean and Cas."

        "Hey there." Barney smiles, shaking their hands a lot more vigorously. "On your honeymoon?"

      "No, um." Dean blushes a little, "We're not married."

      "Don't think the states have it legalized yet." Tom whispers to Barney fairly loudly. "How long have you two been together?"

      "Eight years." Cas replies before Dean can say anything.

      "You wouldn't know it to look at you. Why don't you look at me like that anymore?" Barney scolds Tom affectionately, tugging at his sleeve.

       "How do you know I don't and you just haven't caught me. Tom teases, giving Barney's hand a squeeze.

       "So, um, do you know anything about the wall?" Dean rubs the back of the neck, trying to get back on topic.

         "Sure do, buddy. There was a terrorist attack in july 2013. These guys set off some bombs all around the temple. There used to be shops and stuff right up there but they had to relocate. Thats why they put the wall up."

       "Such a shame, eh?" Tom shakes his head.

       "Yeah." Dean tries to remember what he was doing then.  Right, that was when Sam almost died in the trials. He was in the hospital, got tricked by Gadreel, the angels fell. The good old days.

      "There was a bit of a miracle, too. One of the sites of the bombs was in a small shrine on the north side and though it went off the image of Buddah inside was completely unharmed. Can you believe it? We want pictures of it."

        "Its worth checking out." Dean looks over to Cas, who nods in agreement.

       "Say, freind, I hate to ask, but whats all that about with that Mr. Trump, fella? Is he really going to be your new president?"

       "You guys doin' alright down there? We're starting to get worried 'bout'cha." Barney adds, half jokingly.

       "We concern ourselves mostly with matters of a higher plain." Castiel thankfully rescues Dean from answering. 

       "You're not voting for him then."

       "Not unless he cures cancer before the elections." Dean replies. 

       "Wanna tour the temple with us?" Tom offers generously.

        "No, thank you. We're mostly interested in seeing the lotus pond."Dean demurres. 

       "Well, that's alright. Theres a huge line to get through security to chat in. So how did you two meet? I bet it was a cute story."

      "Not really, we were working. On opposite sides of an impending merger. The little guys caught in the middle weren't happy about it, so I stepped up for them. Cas was part of the administration but he came around and helped us put a stop to it." Dean pulls the first thing he can think of out. Corperate merger? No way they're buying that.

       "I was of course terminated." Cas plays along.

       "With extreme prejudice." Dena grins. "We kind of ended up working together. Anti trust stuff, real boring, lots of paperwork."

       "Not when you add in the office romance, I'm sure." Tom nudges Dean in the ribs. Cas just looks away leaving Dean to deal with that, the traitor.

      "No, fairly boring. Typical stuff. We just clicked, I guess." 

      "Cutie a simple boring love story in the US between two cute boys like yourself, is extraordinary, especially in a place as backwards as the states." 

       "Right." Thankfully, Tom and Barney are up next and he's spared more uncomfortable nonsense. Of course he could have just said no, he's my brother and all that would have been avoided. He should have. Why the hell didnt he?

 

        In Dean's opinion, the Lotus Pond is kind of disappointing. It looks like an in ground pool with a statue in it and seems as if should he set foot in it, he'd touch a concrete bottom. Artificial. Though the waters are beautiful and peaceful, it feels wrong. And it so busy and well taken care of that there's no way a seven headed snake god could be hiding in there.

        "There's nothing here."Cas informs him. "And hasn't been for a long time." Dean just frowns at this, trying to ignore how naked he feels without any weapons. He was pretty thoroughly searched. He's surprised they didn't break out the plastic gloves.

       "The bodhi tree?" Dean suggests and they slowly make their way across the grounds, Cas stopping to take pictures of the architecture on the way. The tree is enormous, its trunk thick and knotted, its branches spread out for yards around it. So many people are paying their respects, Dean gives a breif hand clasp and bow himself, incredibly clumsy compared to Cas'.

          "Siddhartha Gautama was a man of peace and wisdom, and advocate of the middle way, much like yourself." Cas says, still looking at the tree.

         "Well, I'd hardly call myself a man of peace of wisdom." Dean rubs the back of his neck.

         "You strive for both, continually, Dean, and have taught me much. Since I met you I've grown in ways I never could have imagined. Should I one day possess either peace or wisdom it will only be through what I've gained from my time with you." The compliment leaves Dean speechless, and Cas just continues looking at the tree.

       "Lets, uh, lets see that shrine then." Is the only thing he can think to say. Cas just nods and follows him around the temple to the north side. There's nothing but a sense of peacefulness around the shrine. Its impossible to tell if its the original statue or not, though it is old, and no one will let them close enough to examine it. There's a tall european man standing in the back, with blonde hair. He was at the lotus pond and the bodhi tree as well. Granted so were half a million other people. But he looks familiar.

       "Cas,"Dean says quietly leaning closer. "You notice that tall guy?"

       "The one following us? Yes, He's been nearby since we arrived."

        "Why didn't you say something?"

        "There's nothing to mention. He means us no harm." Is Cas's infuriating reply.

        "And how the hell do you know that?"

        "Because that is my nephew, Jormungandr."

        "I am not your nephew." Apparently the world snake has excellent hearing. "That person was not my father and never was."

         "Perhaps we should discuss this elsewhere."Cas offers.

         "We will discuss nothing. Mucilinda is a freind of mine. If you harm him, I will devour you whole." As threats go its fairly unimpressive, but probably completely literal in the bargain. 

       "We only wish to speak to him."

      "Like you only wanted to talk to Death? Like every other supernatural being you encounter? Stay away from Mahabodhi temple and away Mucilinda."

          "If you know we're here, you know your sister is the one who..." Dean starts but is cut off.

        "My sister is infatuated with some human girl making her a senseless fool. I'm not trusting the life of my freinds to her hormones."

        "I'm sorry, but what did you just say?" Hel strides over, her normal black gown standing out among the crowd as much as her height. "I'm afraid I didn't quite hear you, little brother." She crosses her arms fixing him with a look that says she heard every word. He doesn't look cowed, though. 

        "I'm not sacrificing my freinds for your crushes." He snaps. Hel just raises an eyebrow. "No, you sent hunters, not just any hunters, but Dean Winchester to Linda. I won't..." But he's cut off when Hel reaches up and grabs his ear.

       "We will discuss this is private, Jormunganr. My apologies, my brother is very protective of his freinds. But do not harm Mucilinda, or any snake you see, understand? You are coming home." Hel pulls her brothers ear, leading him off the grounds. There are not a few snickers and clucks of disapproval at their passing.

       "Well, isn't he a little ray of sunshine." Dean comments.

       "Yuri does mean 'my light' in hebrew and enochian." Castiel points out.

        "Oh, well, that explains it." Dean rolls his eyes. Castiel just gives him a look he chooses to ignore. "Let's get out of here."

        

        "You know, I bet he gets tired of the same old thing all the time." Dean muses, taking a sip of his desi daru. "Strong stuff." He puts the glass down. "Like mango flavored moonshine."

       "He who?" Castiel asks.

       "Lindy, the snake guy. Always milk peanuts pudding. Stuff like that. I bet he'd love something different for a change." Dean leans back. 

       "Its unlikely he would. Most pagan gods are very particular, epecially those still worshipped. They tend to be creatures of habit." Castiel points out glancing around the empty diner.

      "I'm not saying don't give him the other stuff too, but you know maybe a little something extra. He's a king cobra, right? What do they eat?" Dean swirls the ice cube in his glass.

        "Small mammals, eggs, birds, other snakes..."Castiel lists. "But he's not an average king cobra, he's a nagarajah."

         "Bigger, right?" He looks to Cas who nods. "Eggs. What if we offer some caviar? Or something exotic like quail eggs or ostrich eggs, you know, something he hasn't had."

        "I suppose I could go find an ostrich egg in australia. Hopefully its not so large it would cause me to crash." He muses. Dean supresses a grin at the thought of Cas breaking an osterich egg in transit.

         "What is the problem with that by the way?" Dean asks. "What's changed so much that you can't even really fly right anymore?" Cas looks a bit put out at the question, incredibly embarrassed.

         "Well, " he says slowly. "I have grown four additional limbs that I have little control over. They're significantly less developed than my original two and tend to interfere with each other. Their added weight makes trying to fly with just the original two impossible, especially as they move in part with each other, like trying to fully extend your ring finger while leaving your middle finger curled down. I can't even manage to fold them properly most of the time. I'm lucky I can get or remain airborne at all. 

       "On a positive note, my healing attempts have stopped exploding mortally wounded animals.  Unfortnately they still are left with large tumors, only most of which are benign." Castiel gives a sigh, looking dejectedly at the table. "I now can make changes at the molecular level but unfortunatly I killed the only Archangel who could have instructed me how to do so with out disaster. It's so intricate and I can't seem to move back out of the molecular level to attempt more superficial healings." Castiel looks so utterly discouraged and downhearted that Dean regrets his question.

          "Hey, its okay, man, really." Dean puts his hand over Castiel's clenched one. "Just having you here with me is more than enough. I really don't know what I'd do if I had to go through all this crap without you, Cas." Castiel givesa small smile looking up at him. Sometimes Dean forgets how incredibly blue his eyes are, and then moments like this come and he feels as if he could drown in them. He can feel Castiel's other hand move over his though it feels oddly..."Oh, Son of a bitch, that's a snake!" He jerks his hand back as he looks down to see a large snake resting its head on the back of Dean's hand.

        The snake looks at him almost reproachfully, then to Cas. After a moments appraisal, it starts slithering up his arm to hiss in his ear.

        "He wishes us to go with him to meet the nagarajah." Castiel allows the cobra to drape itself around his neck  and shoulders. 

         "Do we trust him?" Dean gets slowly to his feet.

          "Until given a reason otherwise, yes." Castiel stands and leads Dean out of the hotel restaurant. As they walk through the streets and out of Bodh Gaya, more and more snakes join them on their journey. It takes hours of twisting and turning in the dark until they approach some dark hills littered with caves visible in the moonlight. 

         There's a fire burning in one of them with flickering shadows dancing on the cave wall. Its fairly difficult to get to, part of the hill having steeply eroded near the entrance. Castiel reaches the top first, pausing to help lift Dean up the last few feet. The cobra slithers from Castiel's arms towards the back of the cavern where an enormous snake is curled in front of a stone wall polished so brightly it reflects them all like a mirror, only in this reflection Dean can see shadows of wings, awkwardly folded behind castiel's back and a distinctive golden glow surrounding them both. Castiel's eyes shine like flames.

        "You wissshed to sssee me?" The large center Cobra head raises from the coils, slowly followed by six smaller, sleepy looking ones.

        "Nagarajah Mucilinda?" Dean verifies, unable to ignore the snakes surrounding them like a living writhing mat of vines.

        "Yesss. Forgive my children for the intrusion, but my freind'sss worry hass worried them. You do have a bit of a reputation asss a god slayer, Dean Winchester, and you as a jealous God, Cassstiel, asss you father before you." The mention embarassed Cas who just bows his head and looks away.

        "I have told them, "the naga continues, "That your intentions are peaceful and you are merely defenders of humanity, but still...." The head goes down to affectionately nuzzle a few of the nearer smaller snakes.

         "We've come for a large clay container of wine, a consecrated wine of temperance."Dean informs him.

         "We are not here to harm you in any way. You and your children live in harmony with humanity in this part of the world. We do not wish to disturb that in the least." Castiel reassures the crowd and gives a respectful bow that Dean tries to copy. The attempt is received kindly with nods returned from all seven heads.

          "Yes, the wine you speak of was here for many decades, but with the attacks on the temple, i felt it best to move it to a more secure location."

        "May we ask where?" Dean asks as no further information appears forthcoming.

         "You may." There are a few hisses that Dean recognizes as laughter when he realizes Mucilinda was just being a smart ass and making stupid jokes.

          "Where is the wine now, if you please." Dean asks politely, trying not to sound too annoyed. 

         "In the Cellar with a brother of mine." Is the serene response stated as if it were the answer to all questions ever asked.

        "What cellar?"

        "My brother's."

        "Okay, Which brother?"

        "The one in the cellar."

          Dean has the very strong urge to shoot the nagarajah just on general principles. But he resists. Barely.

         "Are you ever going to give me a decent answer?" He demands.

          "Are you ever going to ask me a decent question?" Is the reply. Castiel places a hand on Dean's shoulder and steps forwards.

           "If you please, what is your brother's name and how may we find him and his cellar?" Castiel asks with a bow.

           "He is in mannarasala known simply as nagarajah." Mucilinda finally gives a helpful reply.

           "Is there anything we should know about him?"Dean asks, "A special diet, favorite color, pet peeves, you know." He shrugs. Mucilinda gives a snakey sort of laugh more hisses than 'ha's.

            "He is very particular. He is also vain and rather sensitive about the fact that he only has five hoods instead of seven. It'd be best not to mention it."

           "Understood. Thank you for your asistance."Castiel nods to the snake. "Is there anything I can do for you in return?"

          "I am curious about the ostrich egg my child heard you mention inthe cafe. I would not object to recieving one. " the nagarajah leans his larger head closer to them both. "And perhaps one to share with a freind. Older sisters can be very unfeeling towards matters of their younger brothers dignity, don't you agree?"

        "Yes," Castiel says firmly and without hesitation. Dean just shrugs.

         "Speaking from personal experience?" Dean teases.

         "Yes." Castiel grimaces. "Nagarajah, either I or a brother will bring the eggs to you as a token of our thanks as soon as we are able."

            The nagarajah nods and blows out the flames, leaving only glowing coals behind. The sound of hundreds of snakes leaving the cavern is chilling, making Dean give a slight shudder. But at least the trip is waffle free so far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About cas' comments at the bodhi tree, he definitely has his love goggles on. Yuri is a little brat, but I wouldn't exactly blame him for worrying about his freinds when a winchester is involved.


	23. Without A Leg

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Hel urge Babe and Sam towards admitting their feelings.  
> Hel and Claire have not yet recovered from the horrible first date.  
> Babe has the opportunity to come clean and chickens out.

        "Hold still,"Babe scolds as Sam turns his head to look at Alex, who's looking up Mannarasala for him.

       "Don't forget to..."

       "Hush." Babe covers his mouth. "This is delicate work." Sam just sighs and lets her finish penciling in his nonexistent eyebrows. Its incredible how fast his body hair came out once it really started. Granted not having to shave was a perk, especially given how likely he was to slice his face open while attempting it, but not having eyebrows is just too strange.

        "I know, location, hotels, rituals and offerings, local legends. I got it. Don't worry." Alex writes a few things down. "Don't forget his side burns. He needs those."

        "You don't..."But Babe's hand is over his mouth again. It seems a remarkably tiny hand in truth.

        "Don't make me get the duct tape, Sample Size." She appraises her work, then moves down to make a few  squared lines from his upper lip to his jaw.

         "Wait, what are you doing?" He tries to grab the hand mirror.

         "Don't you trust me?" She pretends to sound offended.

         "Not really, no."

         "Well, maybe you should have thought of that before giving me makeup and access to your face. I'll be done soon, so just lie there and think of england." He just sighs and hokda still as she resumes her work on his chin. There's a knock at the doorway.

       "It's time for your physical therapy session."Hel announces, striding in.

       "Just give me a moment." Babe lifts his chin a little to get just underneath. 

       "You can finish abusing your lovers trust later." She reaches the far side of Sam's bed where Babe's sitting and picks her up, putting her over her shoulders, grabbing the crutches with her other arm. "We will return in a few hours."

        "Wait!" Babe grabs Sams wig as they pass and drops it in Alex's lap. 

        "Later, Babe, Hel." Alex puts it aside.

        "Alex." Hel pauses to give a polite nod. "Ming." There's a slight smile on her lips as she nods to him.

        "Put me down, you brat," Babe demands.

        "No. We are not being late again due to your lolly gagging." They hear as Hel carries the annoyed tiny woman briskly down the hall to the elevator. The nursing staff is long past being surprised at this.

       "What did she..." Sam grabs his phone turning on his camera to see his image. Apparently she penciled in both eyebrows and facial hair in a closer cropped style of Ming the Merciless from Flash Gordon. Only the fact that Dean would get a kick out of this prevents him from just immediately trying to wipe it all off. "Would you?" He hands the phone to Alex.

         "Sure," she snaps a photograph, "Send it to Dean or never send it to Dean?"

         "Send it." Sam leans back in the bed. He'd been told there might be nerve damage, but he hadn't expected it to hit him so badly after just a few months.

         "Are you okay?" Alex asks pausing before sending it off. He nods. "Liar. No, I meant, do you want to talk about it? You know, vent a little about the situation. You don't have to shove it all in. Dean's not here to protect, neither is Babe or Cas and if you're afraid of sounding at all whiny, let me tell you that my brothers constantly complained about things like my bringing home the wrong blood type or that he smoked the wrong cigarettes, so really there's not much you could say pettier than that." She rests her head on her arm. Sam can't help but smile at the sentiment, disturbing as the example was.

       "I'm just an idiot, that's all." He shakes his head.

      "Because of your inexplicable trust and fondness for Bree?" Alex teases not expecting the reluctant nod she gets, but it's not as if she and everybody with eyes didn't know.

      "Dean was right, I dont just see her as a freind or mutual entertanment. She's so much more than that and she shouldn't be." Sam takes a breath, "I think I love her." After a moment of silence after his confession, he looks over at Alex expectantly.

       "Oh. Was I supposed to be surprised?" She straightens up. "What a shock! I never would have guessed in a million years! Really?" He just gives her a wry smile.

        "Is it really that obvious?" 

        "More obvious than Dean and Castiel. Aside from lighting up when she's around, you out up with crap like this." She waves to his face. This reminds him off the makeup and he grabs the body wipes from the drawer and starts getting rid of the beard."If you're not in love, I'd have them check for a brain tumor. So when did you figure it out?"

       "When Cas told me about the accident and I nearly burnt out the engine trying to get back here." He confesses. Dean revoked his driving privileges for that one. It wasn't even the impala yet. He put off fixing it to spend time with Sam."I kept imagining all the ways you could die from having your prosthetic leg ripped off. All the possible complications, though, obviously, mostly exsanguination.  Or bone marrow getting in the bloodstram reaching the heart. Hypoglycemic shock. Infection. Medication mix up." Sam sighs. "For some reason I was convinced she was going to die and I was never going to see her again." 

       "So when are you going to tell her?" Alex asks the question he's been arguing with himself over all week. "she may not be dying but it's not as if you have time to dick around." 

       "I'm not going to say anything." A look stops Alex from voicing the protest he sees coming. "She doesn't feel that way about me, Alex. And even if she did, how could I do that to her? I'm dying, Alex. There's no stopping it this time and I'm not... I can't keep dragging her further into this nightmare."

       "That's right, because she's just not capable of making her own decisions as to what she does or does not think is worth what. I mean why let her choose whether or not to love a dying man when you can simply seprive her of the opportunity forever. Why on earth should she be allowed her own agency?" 

        "I get your point." Sam interrupts her.

        "Do you because you and your brother tend to act as if you know best for everyone and think nothing of lying to and manipulating each other for your own best intrests. Because, you know, as women we don't get nearly enough of that bullshit on a regular basis."

         "I don't think you know us well enough to say anything like that." Sam can't really think of anything better to say to that. "You've seen us maybe twice before this."

       "Bree does thanks to Tiajuana, and she's a chatty drunk." Alex informs him. "And a ridiculous light weight now. One wine cooler is all it takes."

       "She's diabetic! She's not supposed to be drinking at all!" 

      "I know. It was just a couple times. Claire and I kept a close eye on her blood sugar and everything." Alex holds up her hands. "We, well, they are adult women who can do what they please." 

       "Taking Women's Studies this semester I see." Sam jokes, quickly regretting it. Not the least because it's the kind of stupid insensitive joke Dean would make, and he knows she has a valid point. Hopefully he can blame the eyebrows. And maybe the poison being repeatedly pumped into his body. He'll have to have Babe bring him some more brownies.

        "No, I happen to be a woman. I get the full integrated experience tuition free. You have no idea how often I'm told to smile by stangers on the street or campus. I just give them my best Wednesday Addams smile and that seems to shut them up." Alex demonstrates looking positively psychotic. The fact she stops blinking ups the creep factor immensely.

        "You do have a nice real smile though." Sam says.

         "Thanks, but I'm not altering my mood or expressions for some strangers viewing pleasure. Besides that just leads to the kind of harrassment that led to the tale of Babe and her boots. She's my hero for that by the way. 

        "Its too bad we can't do something like that with video games. Trying to play Call of Duty is a nightmare. Claire and I had to form special all women League just to have a decent game without rape threats and being told to go make sandwich. Ours is North American Huntresses. My screen Name is Eowyn86 Claire's is ArtemesiaXerxes. If you want to join we could use a mascot, be the company moose." 

          "Thanks, but I'm good. How are your courses going?" 

           "We just started so they're going and thats about it. So now that you've acknowledged your feelings, what are you going to do about it? Something romantic I hope."

           "Nothing. Maybe if something happens and I somehow end up surviving this, then I will, but not now. I just... can't." He shakes his head. 

          "You two are such cowards." Alex accuses him.

           "What two? Me and Dean?"

          "Yes, You and Dean and Bree and Cas, all of you. You're each crazy about the person crazy about you but none of you will do anything about it." She has all the frustration expected of an inexperienced teenage girl.

         "Maybe, but what about you? Why didn't anything happen with gift shop boy? Or any boy or girl for that matter." Alex just shoots him a withering look. "You want to be a normal girl. You're going to a normal college to have a normal career and a normal life. A normal life includes dating."

       "I'm not a normal girl. I was raised by vampires and was one breifly." Alex says quietly, "I may have had a normal life once but I never will again. Neither can I pretend to, that much is clear. How can I date knowing what I could find myself involved with again." She hugs her arms around her chest and looks down.

        "No normal ordinary guy would want me. And even if they did, what then? Oh hey, Chad i'd love to go out on a date with you. But first drink this holy water while I throw some salt on you and you don't mind if I cut you with this silver blade do you? Or isthat more of a thrid date thing? And by the way, christo. Yeah, they'll be breaking my door down." Alex rolls her eyes.

       "There are more subtle ways to test them than that and you know it." Sam reaches over and takes the wig back from her lap, putting it back in order before putting it back on.

        "Well, I don't care. I'm seventeen. So what if I'm not dating yet anyways. I do have college and plenty of things I need to do. Can we just get back to work? I need to leave for class in an hour or so." Alex pulls the laptop back.

        "Of course." Sam nods. Maybe it was a little low taking the conversation there but at least it got her off the topic of his feelings for Babe. 

 

         "Swimming would be good for Sam as well, I believe." Hel sits on the boardless diving platform by the edge of the pool, dipping her feet into the heated water as Babe swims in lazy circles in the deep end.

         "I prefer not to let him see me with wet hair." She makes her way over to the edge. "And I don't do bathing caps.

         "You do look a bit more like yourself this way." Hel comments, appraising the slicked back curls straightened by the weight of the water but for the very tips.

          "Tell me about it."Babe sighs, resting her head on her arms.

          "It's oddly nice seeing you in love." Hel muses, kicking the water a little. "He's an interesting man and a good one. I'm glad you found each other."

          "Don't be absurd, Hela. We haven't found each other and we're not in love." Babe pushes away from the side.

          "You know, you can stop lying for a breif moment, Gabrielle; you're with me." 

          "How's Claire? Is she speaking to you again?" Babe's attempt to deflect the conversation is ignored.

          "I like seeing you this way. You're  not as... high strung, I suppose. You joke as much and as badly but it's lost a little of that edge to it. And you laugh more as well. You seem happy around him. You should tell him." She doesn't specify what she wants her to tell him probably everything, but it really doesn't matter.

            "There is nothing I want to tell him, Hel." Babe makes her way to the ladder, pulling herself up mostly with her arms. "What's the point? There's nothing I could be doing for him that I'm not already. And it wouldn't make anything better, at all. Only worse. At best it'd cause even more friction between him and his brother, at worst I'd have to leave and probably never see him again. Not to mention how betrayed and decieved he'd feel. Nothing good can come out of this." She half swings herself over to sit on the edge and tries to fluff the curls back into her hair a little.

          "You know you want to tell him. And the best case scenario is that he's not the least suprised and accepts and love and you with everything he has until his last breath, giving you both the love and happiness happiness you deserve." Hel gets to her feet and holds out a hand to Babe who reluctantly accepts it, letting the tall woman lift her to her foot.  "Oh, yes, Yuri says to keep your drittsekk freinds away from his freinds and thats it. Rhys sends his regards but doesn't want you coming around until you have stopped this silly project of yours. Despite that I've told them otherwise, they seem to think this is some sort of joke."

       "I'm sure it is, just not one of mine." Babe snorts at this. "You don't have to do all this, Hela, you know that. I'll still put in a good word for you with Claire." She does accept Hel's arm as a crutch to get back to the locker room, though.

        "It would be easier to make things right if she knew the truth at least, but I realize it would put her in an awkward position if no one else did." Hel looks around the locker room as the last woman leaves and snaps Babe into her clothes, drying and removing the chlorine from her hair in the bargain.

       "Thank you." Babe just looks down at her stump and the needle marks in her thigh and heaves a sigh. He deserves better than a broken, crippled, helpless mess like this. One who can't even keep a job or an apartment it seems. Even with everything she's trying to do, compared to what she could have done for him before its all just nothing. "It occurs to me that all this crap is alot more difficult than I thought it was when I was younger.  And maybe that I was as much of a selfish dick as my brother."

        "Not even close." Hel kisses the top of her head. "Not to say you're not a viciously punative asshole at times. I mean dragging everyone at the feast into that little dispute between you and your blood brother was a bit of a dick move, but I did kind of understand that one."

          "I'd hope so." Babe grabs her purse from her locker and the crutches as well. "It was. There are so many things I'd do differently, but they'd have probably ended in disaster, too."

           "You can do things differently now." Hel opens the door for her and they head out of the building. 

           "I don't exactly have any other choice but to." Babe reminds her. Hel just gives her a chiding look, as she knows that she knows what she means. 

            "You can be open and honest and forthright, telling the simple unvarnished straightforward truth about everything before everything backfires."

              "I can't, Hel. You know who I am, everything I've done and haven't done. He'll never forgive me and who will take care of him if I'm not around? I'll... all I can do is what I'm doing and when it no longer needs to be done then maybe. But you know he needs everything I can give right now. He deserves it and more. You know he does. What he doesn't need is to feel betrayed or used or tricked. He really can't afford that kind of stress right now.

          "At least tell him you love him."

          "I don't." Is the stubborn reply.

          "Liesmith, the quality of your work is slipping." 

          "Telling him I love him would only be a good thing of he loved me. He doesn't. He's just that good of a person, that's all. He thinks that by letting me help him, he's helping me. And he can't not try to help people, even while dying of cancer or locked in a mental institution. He doesn't deserve this. He never deserved any of it, not a single thing. He's everything a human should be. Its honestly fitting that he was Lucifer's vessel. The morning star was a beautiful perfect promise, broken in a thousand ways. Sam is that promise fulfilled."

          "If you're not in love, I hope you never are. I feel nauseous enough as it is." Hel rolls her eyes. Babe just whacks her shin with a crutch and presses the elevator buttons.

          "As if you and Brunhilde weren't vomit enducing yourselves, eh, mein libben sotnos." Babe teases. Hel just scowls and looks away at the reminder of an affair that apparently began as horribly as it ended.

         "It was a phase. I was young. Some of us actually grow throughout the years." She pats the short woman's head.

         "Was that a height joke?" Babe asks incredulously.

          "Why? Did it go over your head?" Babe's mostly impressed with Hel's ability to keep a straight face.

          "Okay, now that was a good one, you Jotun Ygdrassl sprout." 

          "You do like them big, don't you 'aiskling'."

          "Big, beautiful, brainy, blessed with bodily bounty, all the better 'b's. Unfortunately its a rare combination."

         "Don't forget bald as a baby's bottom." Hel looks to the hospital room ahead of them. When she see's Claire there instead of Alex, she pauses.

        "For a moment there I thought you said Baldur's baby bottom which is just all sorts of wrong." Babe looks back then at the room again.

         "What should I say?" Hel asks quietly. "You know her better than I do."

         "I don't know. The closest to the truth you can I suppose." Babe shrugs.

         "What? That you and I are not  and never will be romantically involved? But that I can't go into detail as to why without breaking my word?" Hel tries it out. But it sounds absurd.

         "Or you could keep using me and Sam as an excuse to hang around the periphery of her life while hoping she just comes around on her own." Babe nudges her to start moving.

         "I am actually concerned with your welfare, you know." Hel protests, though she does continue towards the hospital room.

        "I know, you've always been.good at multi tasking." Babe manages to get the door open. "Where's Alex?"

        "Had to go to class? Decide to have lunch?" Claire says, refusing to acknowledge Hel beyond a breif glance. Claire's feet are up on the side of Sam's bed, and the laptop comfortably on her lap.

          "Any luck?" Babe makes her way over to where Sam's making a spot for her next to him. 

          "Yes, actually. I'm convinced that at least one of the wines left is in Greece. It's the cradle of western civilization, so there has to be." Sam insists, causing Claire to just roll her eyes.

         "Not that Western Civilization is the end all be all of virtues."Claire types in a few things.

         "No, but yours is a western religion. It makes sense your religious artifacts would be centered there." Hel corrects her automatically, instantly regretting it.

        "Your grandfather created everything, not just the west. We should look in south africa and East Asia too. Or even Australia and south America." Claire pointedly reminds Hel of her unwitting affiliations to that religion.

         "I doubt they'd have been taking the wines on an extended ocean voyage."Hel counters, "You'd never keep the crew out of it when rations ran low and they always ran low."

          "We do need to get eight ostrich eggs from Australia though." Sam sighs, remembering."As a token of thanks to the Nagarajah Mucilinda. One of Dean's ideas apparently."

          "Simple enough. I should pay him a visit, anyhow. I don't know why I didn't think of giving him some myself, honestly." Hel tries not to look to disturbed at the thought of fetching them. Maybe she could bribe Rhys.

          "Because of spiders." Babe takes the wipes, shuddering far less noticably than Hel at the word, and finishes cleaning up Sam's face. Apparently he got distracted by research.

         "Yes, and then there's Anansi in Africa and Tarantula further south. He's generally in the southern states but he does get just everywhere. I'm also in no hurry to have to pay a courtesy visit to that Aztec either. He keeps asking about you."Hel gives a disgusted look as she says it.

         "Seriously?" Babe's expression matches Hel's. "He's not coming up here is he?"

           "No. Nobody worships him this far north. None of the locals are fond of the Aztecs either, or afraid of them anymore, not that there are many left." Hel shakes her head. "Besides with the golden boy illuminating the area, no one is coming near this town."

           "Bree's not in danger from him is she?" Claire asks. The two both shake their heads. 

            "He's just enjoying my current predicament that's all. He's bored and it amuses him." Babe shakes her head, "So, Hel, stay for lunch? We'll order extra trays, make it a double date."

         "I'm going to go." Claire putsthe laptop back. "Enjoy your threesome." Hel shoots Babe a dark look and goes after Claire.

          "An Aztec god has a crush on you." Sam says after a minute.

          "No. And I don't want to talk about it."She pulls the tray over so she can take up secretarial duties. Sam pushes the tray away again.

          "I do."

          "Sam..." 

          "No, I want to know what's going on with you and these pagan gods." He demands actually sounding jealous for a breif moment.

         "Why? Because we're engaged?" Babe says sarcastically. "You can relax, darling. I'm not interested in the slightest."

          "Babe... Gabrielle. I know you don't want to talk about the accident or anything surrounding it or even your real name, but it doesn't look as if your past is going to stay there. I need to know what to expect, especially involving the supernatural." Sam takes her hand. "If you trust me at all won't you please just tell me the truth?"

         Babe just looks at her hand completely dwarfed by his own. Tell him the truth? If she doesn't it'll only make it so much worse later on. But if she does... his hand is so pale, and thinning despite her best efforts. And without it hers would just be so very alone.

         "A business associate of my father's had an associate that needed a companion for a trade gathering. I was young, not too tall, pure, so I went. It turned out to be a gathering of gods of the underworld. My date's name was Xolotl, an underworld diety or a guide not a ruler, as it turns out. He's coa-coa's twin brother, though they're not much alike. 

          "I met Hel there. She made sure I got home in one peice. We became close, things fell to shit, family fued tore apart the family business, went into hiding, trainwreck, coma, everyone died, here we are." Babe grabs the glass of water from the end table and takes a long drink. "Satisfied?"

        "Yes." Sam nods, much to Babe's surprise, though she tries not to show it. 

        "Not everything is a gigantic crisis brewing untold misfortune. Not even in the supernatural world. Sometimes it's paperwork, industry conferences, and net working. Honestly, the gods of the underworlds do more socializing than any of the others. The ones who run them take their jobs seriously and after the collapse of Ukhu Pacha shortly after that volcano exploded in the 1600'S, they decided they needed to make sure it never happened again. Hell, double l, was strong enough already.

       "It was kind of like a united nations sort of thing. Or Nato against the Abrahamic religions' Russia, politics of the pagan underworlds are very interesting actually. Non agression pacts, mutual defence treaties, deals with reapers. And Death until Dean killed him.  No one gives them half the respect they deserve. Ah, well, back to saving your sorry soul." When she pulls the laptop back this time he lets her. "What are you thinking for Vino Beneficia? Should we google the kindest place on earth?"

        "No." Sam leans closer, putting an arm around her waist. It just returns nicest which is not the same thing at all."

         

      

         

       

        

 

      

 

 

 

 

   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not approve of the whole Yellow Scare thing that was going on during the time Flash Gordon was created. Unfortunately there was no other bald man with such hillarious facial hair to I could think of as Ming the Merciless. If you're not familiar, google image search, you won't be dissappointed.


	24. I'll Be A Monkey's Uncle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean is beset by surprisingly cooperative yet unsurprisingly irritating pagan gods.

        "I hate trains,"Dean announces to no one in particular as he tosses his jacket aside upon entering his room at the Manarasala Guest House . The first leg out of Bihar was the orst, with everything ridiculously crowded. They had to wait until the next day even to get on, buying the ticket a day ahead of time.The second half of the journey was only bad so far as weather was concerned. Either the train didn't have air conditioning or it was broken. "Oh, sweet air conditioner." He drapes himself half over the unit. "I am never leaving this hotel room again."

         "That is very likely." A cool feminine voice speaks behind him as he feels the tip of a blade pressed against the base of his skull. "You are so arrogantly careless. your God's blessing may protect you from divine interference, but you can still be slain by a simple blade." A hand reaches under his shirt, removing his gun, and slowly withdraws it. When the gun is removed, the blade is taken away as well. "What are you doing in my domains, Winchester." There's the sound of someone sitting on the bed, so he slowly straightens up and turns around, keeping his hands visible. A beautiful Indian woman sits on his bed, a scimitar in one hand and his gun in the other.

         "Kali," He gives a polite smile and nod of the head. "Looking as lovely as ever." Her response to his pleasantries is to undo the safety on the gun.

         "You and your brother stopped the Christean-judeo apocalypse. That earns you the chance to explain yourself and your presence. Of course if you wish to be summarily executed instead. I am more than happy to oblige." She looks at him steadly. "What are you doing in my domains, Winchester?" She repeats herself. He's tempted to make something up, but the goddess doesn't seem like she'd buy anything he'd care to sell. The truth is odd enough, and given the way the pagans seem to be communicating these days, she might just already know.

         "I'm just here to pick up one of our artifacts, a large jar of wine, Vino Temperencia, from the nagarajah. That's all." 

         "Why?"

         "We need it to enter the abyss and retrieve Death from the empty." He replies. This answer seems to take her by surprise.

         "You're going into oblivion," Kali raises an eyebrow. "To retrieve Death. Who you killed in the first place I hear. Why?"

         "So the reapers will bring Sam's soul to heaven when he dies." Kali's mouth twitches into what could almost be called a smile. "Is that funny?"

         "Very." The goddess lowers the gun. "Very well, I will make sure the wine is delivered to you tomorrow. Do not go near the nagarajah's cellar and as soon as you have the wine, I want you to leave India and never return."

         "I am restricted to normal human modes of transportation."Dean says cautiously. "I won't be able to disappear just instantly."

         "I'd heard your angel had been hobbled. Do not take undue time in leaving. You will be watched."

         "Yes, Ma'am." He nods. The goddess gets to her feet and walks to the door. She looks at it and then at Dean expectantly. Taking the hint he opens the door and watches her walk out of the room. She doesn't return his gun, but he knows better than to ask for it.  He's honestly surprised she extended them any gratitude. She didn't seem to acknowledge any sort of debt or obligation when they left Elysian fields. She just vanished as soon as they left the building without a word. 

         So Kali finds it amusing. What does she know that he doesn't? Or is it just the thought of Dean tossing himself into oblivion chasing Death that she enjoys. If he fails he effectively kills himself in a way that he can't be retrieved or resurrected. If he succeeds he brings back Death, who'll probably be pissed as hell at him regardless and might just kill him anyways. He guesses he can see the humor in that. She is a goddess of death after all. Where she on good terms with him? What was Death's stance on pagans and paganism anyhow?

         Still, it can't be this easy. And it's not. As it means he'll have to get a hold of that fallen angel and his psychotic partner pretty much immediately. Hopefully they won't come too far ahead of time and can just take the wine back to the states and vanish. Of course, they'll probably be leaving Ardras with him while they do so. He is not babysitting freaky waffle again, that's for damned sure.

         And can they trust Kali to bring them the actual wine? Why would she? Why would she just bring it to him instead of letting him get it from the nagarajah. What is she hiding from him? No, no it's not important right now. The important thing is getting the wine. He can have someone look into it later. Cas can tell if it's the right one and it's not as if they could trick them with an illusion. But still, there can't be any harm in giving the Nagarajah the offering at the very least. It's not as if he accepts it in person. He turns around to get another gun from his luggage and freezes. A large white fluffy monkey with a black face is sitting on his bed and has opened his suitcase.

          "Hey...." He steps forwards, as the monkey takes out a pair of boxers and holds them up. The beast bares it's teeth at him and starts tossing things from the suitcase out all over the room. What the hell is it... Should he call the front desk? "Woah, now." Dean lifts up his hands as the monkey finds the gun. "Easy there, buddy." He ducks as it waves the thing in Dean's direction. It looks it over again and takes it apart, crushing some of the peices and puts a bullet between it's teeth.

         Dean backs up and slowly reaches for the door knob, only to get his suitcase hurled at his head. He barely manages to duck out of the way and evades the other objects the monkey decides to throw, making it into the bathroom. He closes and locks the door. He'll definitely have to call the front desk. And his phone is  in his jacket pocket, on the chair in the main room. Like hell is he praying to Cas to come save him from a damn monkey.

         There's the sounds of the hotel room being trashed. There's not even a plunger or scrub brush or anything he could reasonable wield as a weapon either. He'd had to put his knives away in Bodh Gaya and they're still in the suitcase. There's only a small bath towel, a hand towel, and a washrag. Lacking any other options, he twists the towel into a rat tail, wetting it in the sink. The noises are dying down, though the smell has intensified, so he slowly opens the bathroom door and peeks out into the room.

         "Monkey?" The room looks amazingly clean and tidy, even if it does smell like a monkey's toilet. Everything is put away, reordered, spotless and his suitcase is sitting innocuously on his bed, closed. "What the..." He straightens up and steps out, looking around the room. There's no trace of the monkey or, aside from the smell, any evidence it was even there. That is even existed in the first place. The door and windows are locked. When Castiel enters the room, he finds Dean searching under the beds and inside the closet.

         "Dean, What are you doing?" He asks after a moment.

         "Looking for secret passages. There was a monkey."  Dean knocks on the walls, feeling along the seams of the wall paper and trimming. "He disappeared, but everything was locked, so there must be some sort of secret passage."

         "I see." Castiel walks over to the bed, looking at the suitcase.

         "Don't 'I see' me. I'm not imagining things." Dean scowls. "There was a monkey."

         "I know. There is proof of that in your suitcase." Castiel nods to it. Dean looks over at it and reluctantly walks over to it, reaching his hand out to open it. "I would not recommend that." Castiel puts his hand out.

         "You know I gotta, man." Dean lifts the lid. "Oh dear god." he turns away, letting it drop again

         "Apparently the monkey was having digestive issues." Castiel comments, rather unneccesarily in Dean's opinion. "You will need a new phone."

         "I'll need a new everything." Dean wipes his hands on his jeans, even though there's nothing on them. "I'll, um, just..." Dean looks around for something to pick it up and vanishes. "Thank you." He gives Cas a grateful smile on his return fifteen minutes later.\

         "I threw it into an active volcano." Castiel informs him.

         "Good." Dean rubs the back of his neck. "It wasn't my only visitor though. Your brother's ex dropped by." Castiel's confusion at the statement doesn't ebb with Dean's explanation, it simply shifts focus.

         "I will call Rahab and consult with my niece regarding this development. I would advise you to stay in the Hotel until I return."

         "Yeah. I'm gonna air out the room and take a shower." Dean nods back to the bathroom, his face falling as he realizes he no longer has any extra clothes. Screw it, this outfit isn't that bad and it'll be good to get the sweat off anyways.

        

 

         When he gets out of the shower, the clothes he hung on the towel rack are gone, leaving only his wallet and room key places on the folded hand towel on the back of the toilet. in truth he probably should have seen that coming.

        "Cas?" He cracks the door. "You there?" He isn't. Good. Dean walks out and grabs a sheet off the bed and wraps it around his waist before picking up the phone. "Hello? Front desk? This is room 232" Dean starts, sitting on the comforter. "Yes, I have kind of a problem?" he starts. "Yes, pretty much everything but my wallet and room card have disappeared from my room while I was taking a shower. I don't suppose you could..." Dean brushes some dust or something off his shoulder. "Yeah, something to wear... Yeah, I am actually, good guess... Oh, no, that won't be necessary. Really." He reassures them. "It's fine. I don't hold the hotel responsible at all, really. Well, thank you. I'd appreciate that. Yes. I'll be here. Thanks." he hands up and stops as he feels something on both shoulders. And the top of his head and this upper arms.

         "Who held onto you sso tight?" the things on his left shoulder whispers into his ear. There's a movement, kind of tickling near where the hand print was on his upper arm. He looks up with just his eyes as there's a sliding on the top of his head and a cobra head curls upside down to look at him. "Hey, there, pilgrim."

         "Hey there." Dean replies as calmly as he can. "N-nagarajah, I presume?" 

         "Yess. I been wantin' to practice my english. How am I doin'?" A long large tail curls around his waist.

         "Good." Dean tightens his grip on the sheet. "You, uh, you sound kind of like John Wayne, actually." He gives a brief grin.

         "The Duke, Good. That'ss who I learned it from." The heads slither down his back and around to the front to look at him. "Alright, sstranger, what bringss you to my neck of the woodss?"

         "I came to pick up the jar of wine. Though, Kali actually told me not to go near you less than two hours ago, so, not to seem rude or unfriendly, but..." Dean says reluctantly.

         "Pssss...." four of the five heads waggle side to side, hissing derisively.

          "Sshe iss not MY mother." The larger one scoff. "I wanted to ssee the american hunter who playss with angelss. You don't look like a cowboy. But perhapss that iss becausse you are naked. That damned monkey... if I catch him I will bite hiss head off, no matter how many copiess he makess. He urinated in my milk and ripped the tape from my videos!  Hanuman is bad enough, but he at leasst sstayss out of the Cellar. Wukong sshould return to hiss own landss. Let Kali attend to him instead of attempting to deprive me of entertainment." Dean's not sure he likes that last statement.

       "Wukong?" He asks as he's not familiar with monkey gods. One good thing about north america is that it's decidedly free of monkies.  

       "Ssun Wukong. He'ss from further east, Ssan zang's sservant. What isss he doing here? You want nothing to do with the foolissh monkiess unless you care for sstew that iss." The four other heads give hissy laughter at this statement so Dean laughs slightly as well to be on the safe side. The snakes tail starts to slip under the sheet curling down around his thigh.

       "Woah there, stay above the waist, pal." Dean grabs it with one hand and a curious head with the other below the hood.

        "That is not the right way to grab a ssnake, partner." the god chides and bends the captured head to lightly nip at Dean's wrist. "Ssee? Left too much room. Up here." Another head nudges his hand up to right behind the jaw. "Like thisss."

       "You have more heads than I have hands. If you want to bite me there's not exactly much I can do about it." Dean replies. Nagarajah gives more hissy laughter and continues exploring his torso.

       "That iss very true." The larger head slides along his cheek almost nuzzling him.

        Dean looks back to the door as he hears it unlock. His first impulse upon Castiel opening it is to declare that its not what it looks like. But he realizes that he has no idea what on earth it looks like. All five of the snake's heads move  to face the door as well though not leaving contact with Dean's body. Castiel freezes, his blade dropping into his hand. 

       "Fuck." Dean mutters as he sees Rahab and Ardras standing behind Cas looking intrigued in ways he's not sure he appreciates. The Nagarajah just entwines himself further around Dean's limbs.

       "Thisss iss a private converssation, hosss." 

        "Remove yourself from his person immediately." Castiel demands stepping forwards.

           "Your boyfreind isss the posssesssive ssort I ssee." One head slithers across his chest to rest on his juglar, three others open their mouths revealing their fangs. "Maybe you can kill me before I pump him sso full of venom nothing can ssave him, but maybe you can't. Are you fasster than me? I'm not ssure. I sssupposse the quesstion you have to assk yoursself, iss do i feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?" Apparently the nagarajah has a healthy appreciation for Clint Eastwood as well. Castiel slowly puts up his blade.

      "Now, I just came to ssee what the glow keeping me in thiss sshape wass, and why Kali sso rudely forbade thiss new playmate, ordering I sstay insside. Thiss iss my land, angel, my temple, and I willnot tolerate ssuch sstingy rudenes.." the larger head is cut short as its struck by a gold circlet. They all look up to the ceiling to see the white gibbon hanging down from amoved tile and blow the snake god an offensive raspberry before dissapearing back up into the crawl space.

       The nagarajah sputters what are likely enraged curses and unwinds himself from Dean, lunging at the ceiling. The tile is knocked down as he does so.

      "Excuse me. Pardon me." A bell boy makes his way into the room as the tail dissappears. "Mister Singer?" He holds an white and gold cloth bundle in his hands. "Please accept our apologies and this replacement outfit. We will also move you to a room with a more solid ceiling." He notes the damaged ceiling, handing the bundle to Dean.

      "Thanks. Now, if you'll excuse me," He holds the sheet tightly around his waist and goes into the bathroom to dress, indulging in a full body shudder on the way. 

 

 

        "I'm starting to have my doubts about this whole retrieving death from the empty thing." Dean confesses, lifting the drink to his lips. "Everyone is just too damn cooperative."

        "Well, it's not as if they have no intreat in this venture of yours." Ardras sits beside him at the bar, though Dean was clearly adressing Castiel. "Think about it. All the gods you've and other hunters have killed. Dead and lost to oblivion. If you can retrieve a creature from the empty, that mean there's something to retrieve. "

       "An interesting thought."Castiel admits. Interesting and worrying. 

       "And if not, no more Winchesters. They can't loose by aiding you." Ardras shrugs. "So, cheers." He holds up his newly refilled shot glass. Dean accepts the toast and downs his arrack. "So, you'll get cozy with a snake, but not me? You wound me."

       "You'll live." Dean refuses to rise to the bait. Ardras seems to be in the mood to fight again, but its not going to happen. He's dealt with enough crazy today, he's not going to get tangled up with this psycho again. It's bad enough he has to wear this damn kurta thing and hope Kali's reasonable about the whole nagarajah thing. Especially now all his friggin weapons are gone.

        "Dras, leave them alone and come eat. You can't live off of vodka." Rahab beckons him back to their table.

        "You should eat as well," Castiel urges. Dean just shrugs.

         "I'm tired of all this foreign food. I just want a big juicy hamburger with fries and a soda with more than two ice cubes in it." What is that about? Is there an ice shortage he's not aware of?

          "A hamburger?" The bartender asks, hearing Dean's complaint.

          "Yeah." He sighs.

           "We can make for you.  We have best burgers in Haripad. Everyone say so." He states proudly.

           "Alright, then, hit me. I'll have one." Dean rephrases himself at the man's look of confusion. "Please. Thanks."

          "Right away, sir."

          "I will bring you another suitcase of clothing and a cell phone when we return from the bunker." Cas informs him.

         "Thanks." Dean just looks at his glass, loosing himself in his thoughts about nothing in particular. Clothing, food, home. He's homesick for pretty much everything about the states, but especially his brother. Sam would love seeing all this. He could appreciate it more. Instead he's in Souix Falls getting injected with poison for weeks at a time with a pocket sized preistess hanging around. And if they fail, that's the last thing he ever does.

        "We will save Sam." Castiel places his hand on Dean's shoulder. "We will obtain the wines, locate the abyss and retrieve Death, securing you both the afterlife you deserve."

        "What about you?" Dean asks, placing his hand over Castiel's. "What happens when you die again? No one's here to bring you back now."

        "It is incredibly unlikely that I will ever die again." Castiel sidesteps the question. "As useless as I am at the moment, I am virtually invulnerable."

         "You're never useless, Cas." Dean corrects him sternly, "Never."

        Rahab and Ardras just look at the two with similar disgusted yet exhasperated expressions. Ardras drains his glass and goes back up to the bar pushing himself between the two men just staring into each others eyes to the point of absurdity. The fact that they're clearly not fucking yet is as obvious as the fact they both desperately want to. If he has to watch these two much longer he's going to go insane. Well, if these two aren't going to do anything about all the smoulderimg sexual tension, he will.

        "Castiel," he turnsto the angel, shoving Dean back a step. Cas looks to him. The suicidal belgian takes hold of his tie and pulls him into a kiss. more drawing himself up to him as the angel is singularly uncooperative in the effort, making it a poor excuse for a kiss. Much more satisfying is Winchester, ripping him away by the collar with one hand and decking him with the other. 

       "Keep your hands off my angel you psycho son of a bitch." Dean stands menacingly over the temporarily prone man. Rahab is on his feet instantly, Castiel taking position beside Dean, looking warningly to the other angel.

        "Well, someone had to do it and you certainly wasn't going to." Ardras slowly picks himself up and dusts off. Dean turns red at this, not sure how to respond.

         "Do not touch me again."Castiel firmly instructs the man as Ardras wipes the blood from his lips.

         "Is there a problem?" A security guard makes his way over to them.

          "No. Just a disagreement between colleagues." Ardras shakes his head. "However you seriously need to get your act together, estupide american." He goes back to the table where Rahab just glares coldly at him for the remainder of the meal.

          Dean turns back to his drink, still ticked off beyond measure and gulps it down. Laying his hands and lips on cas. Who the hell does he think he is? It's not until the bartender refills the drink that he realizes he just called Cas 'my angel'. "Shit." He nurses this one.  

         The bright spot of the burger arriving is negated when he takes the first bite.

         "What the he.." Dean resists the urge to spit it out and forces himself to chew and swallow the monstrosity.

          "Our famous black bean curry hamburger with chickpeas." The bartender announces proudly. Dean looks as if he's about to cry, though the hot pepper relish is as much to blame as anything else.

           "I'll, um, have this wrapped to go." He puts the burger down, and takes a large steak fry. Its heavily seasoned with a spicy masala mix but its not bad. It won't do his stomach any favors though. Maybe there'll be some hungry dogs or something. Or Maybe Sun Wukong likes curry burgers and will steal it from the mini fridge or something. If he appears again. Knowing Dean's luck, he probably will.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Nagarajah spends alot of his time in the Cellar watching old westerns on vhs and a few Dirty Harry movies. Yuri keeps trying to get him to switch to blue ray but he is an old god (even if he acts like a naughty child) and resistant to change.
> 
> ICE CUBES  
> Apparently its a big issue people have with american travelers in restaurants. When we ask for more ice we're thought greedy and entitled, but europeans don't understand that in america restaurants fill your glasses with ice before putting anything in at all. We have to ask for no ice to get any of the drink we pay for. (Those super size cups its at least half ice.) Its annoying but a completely diferent kind of annoying to getting luke warm beverages with two ice cubes. One we're used to.


	25. Loose Lips Sail Ships

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean, Cas, Ardras and Rahab retreive Vino Benevolencia from Qufu China
> 
> Dean finds baijiu to be a bit more than he can handle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baijiu- chinese hard liquor similar to vodka
> 
> Wangbagaizu-bastard  
> Hunzhang-bullshit  
> Feiren-useless person  
> Jiaying- name meaning good and clever

       Despite the solid ceiling in the new room, Dean wakes to find the large white monkey sitting on his stomach, eating his leftover bean burger. Or is it an ape? He doesn't see a tail. 

        "Sun Wukong," Dean nods to him.

       "Dean Winchester." He replies, his mouth full, spitting bits all over the man, his voice a surprising tenor. "You're looking for consecrated wines, I hear."

        "Um, yeah, kind of."

        "Eloquence is not your burden I see. I have one for you, but you have to get it fast. Some stupid politician is going to be opening and serving it to his guests at a fundraiser." Wukong picks up a few fries and pops them in his mouth. 

       "And you're telling me, why?" Dean pushes himself up onto his elbows, causing the ape to adjust himself slightly.

       "Because I wish to humiliate the communist wangbagaozi, of course. Thanks to you I am finally free of that hunzang headband, so I considered and will pay two debts at once. Clever, no?"

       "And does that include paying me back for what you did to my luggage?" Dean demands. The ape gives a shreiking laugh at the mention of it.

       "I drew that feiren serpent away, didn't I? The grandfather can be difficult at the best of times. Ah, but you have no sense of humor. I don't know why Loki was so amused by you. Perhaps it was your brother who held his intrest." Wukong shrugs and finishes off the fries. "Get a plane to Jining Qufu China tommorrow. I will change and meet you at the airport." The white monkey shoves the remaining mass of burger into his mouth and hops down off the bed, exiting by through the balcony doors. Dean gets out of bed to close the doors behind him. 

        "Sunny came back." Dean informs who he assumes to be Cas as the opens the door to the room, but stops what he's doing as he smells a familiar smell he can't possibly actually be smelling. He turns around to see Castiel place a replacement suitcase by the floor and switch the light on. In the angel's other hand is a white paper bag. "Tell me thats what I think it is."he begs.

        "I stopped at Biggersons." He holds it out to Dean.

       "Cas I could kiss you, you wonderful, miraculous, live saving angel of angels." Dean grabs the bag and takes out the three quarter pound all beef patty monstrosity, his stomach rumbling as he unwraps it. "Ohhh, yeah, come to daddy. Mmmm." His reaction to the burger is almost pornographic. "Right there, That's the stuff."

      "I see he ate the bean burger as you predicted." Castiel notes the opened to go packaging and peices of half chewed curry burger on the bed.

      "Of course, he's a pain in the ass trickster. What else would he do without access to his supernatural powers? How's Sam? Did you stop in?"

     "He's doing as well as can be expected. Gabrielle has been assisting him with research, as well as making certain he eats properly. I have obtained a replacement cell phone for you and left the new number with the nurse. I also have a potential lead for the next wines."

      "Qufu." Dean says, his mouth full of burger. Castiel just tilts his head, unsure of what he meant to say. "Qufu, China. Some official found it and monkey kong wants us to steal it before it's served at a charity banquet and embarrass the official. Gee, who's have thought a pagan god might hold a grudge against an aetheistic government. Then again it could be personal."

      "We do not have the proper papers for China." Castiel frowns. "I will have to bargain with Rahab some more. Eat and rest. I will return shortly."

     "Wait," Dean reaches out to touch his arm. "Don't go yet." 

     "Yes, Dean?" Castiel turns to face him.

     "When Ardras kissed you, I realized something." Dean steps forwards, "The only lips that belong on yours are mine." When he presses his lips against the angel's the whole world starts to crumble, first trembling under his feet then breaking into a violent shaking that makes him straighten up in the seat and grab the arm rests as if doing so would keep the plane from coming apart midair as it must be doing at that moment.

        "Son of a bitch!" He cries nervously, irritating his better traveled neighbor, and barely manages to grab the barf bag as the movement ceases. That's right. He's en route to Qufu and apparently the tranquilizer's worn off. What's more the night did not end with him making a ridiculously smooth pass at his best freind, but in stuffing his face with a triple bypass from Biggersons.

       "It's just a little turbulence." The man next to him comments reproachfully. Dean just holds out the bag for the stewardess to dispose of and leaves his seatbelt on. When he checks the time he sees it won't be much longer than an hour til they land, so another tranquilizer is out.

      Damn that psycho soaked waffle. Kissing Cas like that right in fucking front of him. What the fuck did he think he was doing? At least Cas very clearly did not kiss him back like he did that damn Meg. And then there was that reaper. If only you could kill someone twice.

      No. This isn't the time or place to think about any of that. Besides he's an angel again now. An archangel. He's probably not even interested in any of that stuff any more. Plus he's just starting to get back on good terms with his brothers. If they dislike them being freinds he can only imagine how they'd react to them being lovers.  Not that he cares what those dicks think, but he's caused Cas enough trouble.

        Even if Cas was interested in that sort of thing.... even if it could work... He should say somehing. Broach the subject somehow at some point but with everything that's going on... maybe afterwards. If everyone survives.

      But he always says that to himself. And every time he looses him. He promises himself that he'll say something if only he gets him back, but he never does. He just chickens out, always. Saying I need you instead of I love you. He calls him freind or brother when that's so far from what he truly wants. Every goddamn time. He just keeps holding back. If they fail this time, then there's no coming back, no second chances. If he dies, he'll die without ever letting Cas know how much he means to him. He has to tell him. He has to.

 

          The papers Rahab whipped up get him through customs without a problem and a sign reading 'Dean Winchester-Singer' is held up by a young chinese woman with a severe updo.

          "Mr. Singer." She shakes his hand. "Come with me, our vehicle awaits."

          "Sun Wukong?" He asks doubtfully.

         "My name is Sun Jiaying. Sun Wukong is the legendary Monkey King, famed for his battle prowess, wisdom and handsome features." She contradicts him politely. Yup, its monkey kong, alright. "Please, follow me." He does so and gets into the back of a limosine. Rahab, Ardras and Castiel are waiting inside. "I am Comrade Sai Ming's adjutant. We are very gratified to have an important personage such as yourself come to see our humble town of Qufu. Comrade Sai extends his welcome and invites you to the fund raising dinner tonigt at Kong Fu in the Second Hall. We have just completed a significant portion of the renovations and wish to show you the work of our craftsman. If you are going to invest in helping us restore the historic home of the wise and honorable Kong Qiu, it is only right that you be assured of the quality of the restorations you will be funding."

        The woman hands them each a large manilla envelope.

        "Enclosed are your invitations, I'm afraid we could only accommodate two of you at the banquet tonight. This also contains your hotel keys and literature on our efforts, translated to english, as well as the floor plabs detailing our efforts and the layouts of tonights festivities. If you are in need of formal wear, the consierge has been instructed to supply you with the appropriate attire and the services of a tailor as a courtesy. We know you were not expecting a formal occaision on this visit and apologize for the inconvenience. Do you have any questions?" She looks around at the  men, a mischeivous twinkle in her eye.

       "Yes." Ardras looks her over as she places her hands on her knees. "Why are you a woman and not a fifteen year old boy?"

       "It seems to be the fashion these days." She smiles sweetly, "And how do you know I am not?" Ardras has no reply to this. "I will see you again at the banquet."

       Dean wisely waits until they reach the hotel to ask who Kong Qiu is.

       "Confucius."Ardras informs him, his voice dripping with disdain. "And Kong Fu is the Kong family mansion. You should try and learn a little something so as not to sound like an idiot at dinner. We need to plan."

        They walk into Dean's small but elegant hotel room, and spread out the floor plans on the bed. Its almost dissapointing how spartan and european the decorations are. Aside from a few paintings, there's not much specifically chinese looking about it.

       "It seems the wine is on display on the same hall they're holding the banquets. There is security at that time, as well, but you'll be allowed inside at that time and your presence will nullify the guardian spirits." Ardras points to several spots with odd markings. "Not that we intend to damage the mansion or disturb amything belonging to the Kong family, but it can be hard to tell what they consider family property."

        "Monkey kong wants us to take it right before its served after dinner, doesn't he?" Dean sighs. Going to a black tie function for communist politicians is not going to be fun.

         "It appears so. The wine if being concealed by curtains in the hall until the after dinner reveal. What is that arrogant bastard thinking?" Rahab shakes his head in disgust.

        "We can take it easily provided you give us a distraction at the correct time. A fight or something. I can help with that." Ardras offers.

         "No." Castiel and Rahab both say at once.

         "I cannot transport myself accurately enough. You and Rahab will have to procure the wine Dean and I will attend the banquet. Rahab can contact me when you require the distraction." Cad continues. "I have no objections to spoiling a dinner given by a man intent on desecrating and squandering one of our religious artifacts."

         "Indeed, once we would have smote him and his entire family on priciple alone. But those days are long past. " Rahab sighs regretfully.

         "I am going to get my beauty sleep." Ardras stretches and heads to the door. "You two should prepare."

         "We will meet you at the hotel after the banquet."Rahab follows him out, pausing at the door. "And rember to behave yourselves. This is not an especially tolerant society."

         "We will both be on our best behavior." Dean promises.

          "Until we need a distraction." Castiel adds. Rahab just shakes his head and closes the door, "How should be accomplish that?"

          "We could have a heated debate about politics that degenerates into violence." Dean suggests. "You can pull your punches, right?"

         "I believe so, yes." Castiel nods.

         "Alright, lets see about those dress suits."

 

         Dean looks around the table regretting the hunter green tuxedo. While seeing both it and Castiel's royal blue one did make Rahab and Ardras wince, it's not quite worth the increased awkwardness around the table. There are a few nationalities there besides chinese. Arab, Russiab, japanese, but it mostly seems to be chinese businessmen

       The food is good, traditionl apoarently, which means alot of rice and nothing he's seen in a chinese restaurant. It's delicious of course, and he steals a few bites from Castiel's okate when the angel forgets he should be eating. The baijiu is excellent. It seems like vodka but definitely a unique experience. He doesn't even remember how many ge's had. That Russian hussy is making eyes at Castiel. Why does he even keep talking to her? There are other people at the table. Less attractive less slutty looking ones.

          "The one I've found most inspiring roughly translates to 'Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.' In my mind it represents the truest statement of the human condition I've yet to encounter." Stupid angel with his stupid sexy knowledge and intreguing conversational skills. "Though yours mostly brings to mind the current political situation in America." 

        "You're not really going to have that wombat headed person as president, are you?" The other Russan woman asks.

         "It's uncertain. While few Democrats want Trump in the office, there is a faction determined not to support Clinton since Sanders wasn't given the nomination. With the amount of republicans willing to vote soley along party lines, there's fears that this split may actually hand him the presidency." Thats the cue. Now he's supposed to make the case for a write in campaign, since he refused to argue for a trump presidency, but what the hell's the point? "Mr. Singer disagrees with me on that point I'm afraid."

      "Oh, who the fuck gives a shit about that political bullshit?" Dean drinks the rest of his baijiu.

        "I believe many people do," Natasha slutinov over there adds her to cents. "And not just in the states." Dean just ignores the tramp.

        "There are just so many more important things like freinds and family and... and love that we could be talking about right now. Fuck politics and fuck politicians." Dean slams the glass back down, breaking it and cutting his hand slightly.This doesn't seem to go over too well with the politicians at the table.

        "Dean," Cas frowns at him, taking his hand to inspect and bandage the cut with his unused napkin. His eyes are so blue, so very blue and pretty and bright.

        "Cas, did you know you have the prettiest damn eyes I have ever seen?" He leans forwarda to get a better look making Cas straighten up so their heads don't collide. Dean just leans even closer.

         "Dean, what are you doing?" He asks calmly quietly.

         "I dunno. I never know. I always think I know but I don't. And I've... we need to talk, Cas. I mean really talk about stuff and things and you and me and not about you being a great freind or a brother but really, real about us and this about... stuff... things... important things."

        "Dean perhaps we should discuss this later and get your hand attended to." Castiel suggests.

        "Yeah, right, okay."Dean turns back to take another drink but his glass is broken. Like always, something happens to take things away. "No." He shakes his head and stands up, wavering enough that Cas gets up as well to steady him. 

         "No. Not later." Dean continues. "I always say later and then its too late and I never do. So now. We'll talk now. Castiel, I love you. And not... not like a freind or a brother. I love you like the desert loves the rain. I love you, I need you, I want to soak up every inch of you in every way shape or form and if you don't love me that way its okay but you should know that. You should know...that I love you, I guess." 

         "I know." Cas gives a small smile. "I regard you the same way," Dean takes this as his cue to grab hold of the angel and kisses him. This breaks the stunned officials wordless observation and its politley suggested that Mr. Singer might benefit from medical attention or at least from returning to the hotel to sleep off his inebriation. As Rahab assures Castiel through angel radio that there was enough of a distraction, they leave without much fuss. Castiel only regrets not seeing the look on their hosts face when they find the wine is gone.

 

        Dean wakes witg a splitting headache that makes him consider asking Cas to do something about it, risk of explosive tumors be damned. Apparently that baijiu stuff is stronger than he thought. That or it's the fact that he hasn't been drinking nearly as much, even going days without having a drink. Damn is that even really possible? Hopefully he didnt fuck up the distraction too much.

        "Good morning, Dean," Castiel hands him a coffee and some pain killers when he sits up, giving him a breif kiss on the lips as he does so.

       "Thanks, baby." Dean rubs his eyes, washing down the pills. Wait. What the fuck?

       "You don't remember last night." Cas says with a sigh. The statement alarms Dean and he looks down at himself. He's still fully clothed minus shoes and jacket and ridiculously wrinkled. "I would never take advantage of anyone in an intoxicated state." He sounds slightly offended. "You simply declared your love for me and attempted to embrace me in front of seventeen dissapproving Chinese men and women, two dissappointed Russian socialites and an intrigued saudi prince."

       "And we're not in jail?"

        "Homosexuality has been legal in china since 1997. However drunken displays of unbridled affection are not generally appreciated."

      "Ah." Dean looks down at his coffee. "So I... told you I loved you. In a totally non platonic way?"

      "I believe the phrase was I love you like the desert loves the rain. Any possible ambiguity was eliminated by the kiss that followed." On the plus side Cas sounds neither offended or repulsed.

        "Damn, drunk me was smooth as hell." Dean mutters to himself. "So, um... how do you... how do you feel about that?" He resists the urge to smack himself in the face following the question. How do you feel about that? What is he a shrink?

        "Grateful." Is Castiel's confusing reply as the angel sits down beside him. "I have loved you for what feels like a very long time. While I was aware that you loved me as well, I was at first unsure as to what way and later unsure as to when you would be able to realize it yourself. So I am grateful that my feelings are returned and acknowledged. I love you Dean, and think you the most wondrous of all my fathers creations."

        If Dean had his gun in his hand on that moment, whoever decided to knock on the hotel door as if they were trying to break it down, would likely have been dead in the next.

       "No, don't..." He starts as Cas gets up and opens the door.  There are policemen there. Of course. They look like policemen anyway. They ask policemen's questions in bad english, most of which can be answered with 'Fuck if I know; I was plastered. I barely remember eating.' After a few of that, they switch to questioning Cas who surprisingly knows chinese.

          "I didn't know you spoke chinese."

          "I do not speak chinese."Cadtiel corrects him, closing the door. "There is no such language a chinese, however I do speak mandarin as does a seventh of the world's population."

         "Oh." Dean watches as cas takes out the suitcase.

         "We should leave shortly."

         "What, they didn't tell us not to.go anywhere?"

         "No. We are not suspects and I informed them we had business in Athens."

        "We do?"

        "Sam is convinced that one of the wines is in greece, so he has arranged for us to stay in Athens while he completes his research. It'll will be best to leave the country before San zang discovers Sun Wukong had been freeed of his headband." Castiel carefully folds his suit.

         "That looked really good on you, you know."Dean informs him, not sure how to recapture the moment.

        "Thank you." Cas places it in Dean's suitcase. "You will be traveling by rail. I have business to take care of in heaven but I will await you in Greece."

        "Oh." Dean is aware of how obvious his dissappointment is, but Cas has spent less and less time up there lately. "Your brothers are getting testy about your absence huh?"

        "Yes, actually, but I'm going because of my self assigned duties and not their potential temper tantrums." Cas stops and gives him a smile. "However, when you arrive in greece, I wish to take you on a date."

        "A date?"

        "Yes. That is what you do when you wish to begin a romantic relationship, correct?" Cas looks almost excited at the prospect and in truth its fitting. He's not some floozy to pick at a bar. It's Cas. He deserves a little romance.

         "Sounds good." Dean nods caually though he's panicking inside. Holy fuck, he has a date with Cas. Whe. Was the last time he had an actual date? Has he ever had an actual date? Like a date date? Fuck.


	26. No Day But Today

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean freaks out, asks for dating advice, Sam throws caution to the wind,  
> Babe tries to do the right thing and fails miserably.

       There are seventeen voicemails on his phone when Sam finally notices the battery died and charges it again. It can't be urgent because who ever could call him that would matter also has the number to the hospital room phone.

       "Dean, what's up." He answers the phone as it rings. 

       "Where the hell have you been? Why haven't you been answering your phone?" His brother demands.

       "I forgot to charge it until the middle of the movie marathon. What's wrong? Are you in trouble?"

       "Yes. No. Look... you know I'm not good with the mushy stuff right?" Dean sounds a bit embarrassed, confusing Sam more than the first response.

       "Yeah," he puts his fingers to his lips and Babe bring over a couple more movies to choose from. "What's going on?"

       "Okay, don't say anything."

       "Okay?"

       "I mean it, Sammy. Not a peep or I'm hanging up."

       "Okay."

       "Well... we... I... you know that... ah, fuck it, I got drunk off baijiu, confessed my undying romantic love to Cas and now we have a date when I reach greece in a few hours and I have no idea what I'm going to do." Well, that explains the seventeen voicemails.

       "It's about fucking time!" Babe shouts to the phone. "You two have been eyeing each other since Lazarus Rising. What the hell took you so long?"

       "Tell Polly Pocket to mind her own damn business, Sam. What the hell? Do you have me on speaker phone?" 

       "No. You're kind of loud Dean and she's kind of nosy. But, you know, what she said." Sam replies.

      "Relax, princess, I'm going outside to take care of a few things." Babe grabs her purse. "Be back in a few, Sampita. Man some angels have no taste." She pulls out her phone as she leaves. "Hey, Cassie, congradultions, I just heard the news." Sam quickly cover the microphone so Dean doesn't hear that and freak out. "No, I just thought you could use a little romantic advice. Or do they date in Heaven, too?"

       "Okay, she's gone." Sam informs Dean as the door to the hospital room closes behind her. 

       "Nosy b..uh, brat," Dean stops himself in time, almost as if he could see the look overtaking Sam's face as he starts to say it. "But, you, know. I really need your help, Sam. I'm desperate."

       "If you're seriosuly asking your little brother for dating advice you must be." Sam comments. 

      "Well, c'mon, man. Of the two of us who would you ask? You were engaged once, right? I assume you two actually dated at some point." Put like that its fairly reasonable.

       "So... you want me to help you figure out a romantic date in Greece to take Cas on?" Sam asks, rubbing the back of his neck. 

      "No. Um, he's taking me out." Dean half mumbles.

      "Oh, well, then, I guess all you have to do is show up and look pretty." Sam grins, seizing the opportunity with both hands. Dean's annoyed silence speaks volumes. But of course, Sam has no choice but to take it even further. "Don't order the lobster, either. Not unless you plan on putting out. Which you shouldn't or he won't respect you. Make him work for it. Be sexy but not too sexy,  remember, no one likes a tease."

      "Are you done now?"

      "For the moment." Sam grins. 

      "I'm seriously freaking out, Sam. This is Cas. This would have been ao much easier if I'd just woken up in bed with him."

      "I really doubt that, Dean." Sam says dryly. "But, you kniw, it's Cas, the angel that's been throwing away all of heaven for your sake and invading your personal space since 2008. Just relax, have fun, do what comes naturally and don't get drunk. I wouldn't drink at all, really."

       "How am I supposed to relax then?"

       "Dean, it'll be fine. If Cas is taking you out he'll want you to just have a good time, so don't think about anything except what you're doing then. Just... live in the moment, and don't worry about anything else."

        "The blatant hypocracybof your advice aside, that still doesn't answer my question of how I'll do that without any alcohol."

       "Dean, even if you're nervous now, once you're out with him, you won't be. Trust me." Sam sooths him. "And now I can die happy, knowing you have a good reliable fella to take care of you when I'm gone. I was starting to think you'd be an old maid til the end of your days."

       "You're a little shit, you know that?" 

       "Just try to relax, decide what to wear and let Cas know so he can get you the right color corsage and match his tie to your shoes."

       "Enjoy your movie marathon with the woman your in love with but too afraid to say anything to." Dean retorts unfairly as Sam's known her just months to Dean and Cas' years of dancing around their feelings. "See if I ask you for advice again." He mutters.

      "It'll be fine, Dean. Really. It will." Sam says gently. "Everyone knows how you two feel about each other, the fact that you both finally do is nothing to freak out about."

      "What do you mean everyone knows how we feel about each other?" Dean says indignantly.

      "Well, everyone who's ever seen you interact and read the books or heard about literally anything you two have done for each other at least. He loves you, you love him, the sky is blue, the sun is bright; this is not earth shattering news, Dean. Everybody's happy for you, no one is surprised. Be happy for yourself and just work on making him as happy as you know he's trying to make you."

        "What if it doesn't work out, Sam? I'll have lost my best freind."

        "And what if it does? Isn't that worth the risk? Isn't he worth the risk?"

        "Yeah." Dean says quietly and gives a sigh. 

        "Besides it's a drunken confession too late for the whole staying freinds thing anyways."

        "True enough. Alright. I'm going to let you get back to your movie marathon. Thanks for the pep talk."

        "Any time." Sam hangs up the phone, feeling oddly discontent. He's happy for his brother the emotionally constipated coward, but can't entirely shake his brother's comments. He's not a hypocrite. Things are just complicated with Babe. It's a different situation with alot to take into account.

     'Hey,' Sam texts Cas. 'Heard the news. Have fun, and it's about time.' 

     'Thank you, Sam. Your approval means alot to me. I apologize for not informing you sooner.'

     'Don't worry about it. And, not that i think you would, but don't do anything Babe suggests without checking with me first,'

      'Understood.'  It's a few more minutes before Babe comes back in, Claire and Alex in tow. Just enough time for him to call the hotel in athens and make a few tiny adjustments to the reservation.

      "Finally, those two were driving me insane," Claire groans, handing Sam a large movie container of buttered popcorn. Apparently Babe spilled the beans. "Don't let her eat too much of this." She instructs him unneccesarily. He's well aware of Babe's tendency to push it with the simple carbs.

        "Wait a minute, did you actually buy popcorn at movie theater and bring it here?" He sees the chain logo on the container.

        "Buy? No. There was a poultergeist at the manager's grandmother's house. She gave me some vouchers for free popcorn for getting rid of it." Claire grabs a handful and pops some in her mouth. "I'd put an ad out on craigslist one night after a drunken Kim Possible marathon, and what do you know." She shrugs.

          "An ad? For what? Getting rid of ghosts?" Sam frowns. Claire nods. "And you're gettig hired? As in for actual jobs? Paying jobs."

         "Well, not exactly. It's negotiable, what they can afford and stuff. So far its mostly been stuff like the vouchers. Though I was given a station wagon that barely runs. Dean's instructing me on how to fix it up via email." Claire, settles into the sleeper chair.

          "Plus I may have a partner since Alex is adamant about opting out. Do you guys know a Krissy Chambers? She called me up and wants to meet since she's in the area. Says her dad was a hunter and her partners are retired. She didn't sound much older than me, though." The question gets Sam's attention.

        "Yes, actually, we do. And she's not. Dean and I met her a couple times. First was with the pair vetalas who had her dad and next some okder hunter was trying to train her and a few others up as hunters while giving them a stable everyday life."

         "Cool."

         "Well, maybe if he hadn't teamed up with a vampire to killed their parents for motivation and so he could take them in." Sam adds. Claire makes a chagrinned face at this. "They were going to stay where they were and just deal with things as they came up, butI guess she decided to go back to hunting more actively after all." The news makes Sam feel a bit depressed.  "Give her my best, would you?"

         "Sure." Claire nods. Babe leans her crutches against the bed and hops up beside Sam as if the healing replacement screw in her stump didn't bother her at all. 

         "Alright, Alex. Your choice. Rent or Chicago." Babe holds out the dvds.

         "Rent. I've seen Chicago" Alex takes it.

          "Yeah, but Queen Latifah." Claire protests. Alex just ignores her and puts the movie in. "We're watching Chicago next then."

          "That's fine," Alex goes over to the couch.

         Krissy Chambers. He hasn't thought about her in a while. They didn't even think to check on them after Garth got turned with everything thats been going on. So many things just seem to slip through the cracks when you just go from one crisis to the next. So many things left undone, unsaid or unthought of until its too late, or almost too late. It's impossible to really do much of anything now. It would be impossible for just a one or two people to do it all under any circumstances in truth.

          If only people like Krissy and her father had somewhere they could go, or turn to, to help them either yo recover from their losses or even just somewhere safe to leave their children while they were hunting. Someolace that coud teach them to protect themselves and learn the truth about the supernatural world. Just so they're not so alone.

         Sam pulls the tray over and slowly prints out the idea in all caps so its easier to read. Why not make a haven and school for hunters and their children? Cas' siblings lack purpose at the moment, why not have them be guardians again? Teachers even.

         He knows for a fact that an angel can possess a human without taking over completely twenty four seven. Gadreel proved that. Being a vessel wouldn't be so bad if it were part time. And if the vessel and angel actually communicated... he knows from Lucifer that they can. If heaven's worst can do that, then certainly heaven's best can. He'll have to tell to Cas about having angels and hunters working together. At the very least protecting children isn't something they can object to.

        Of course, how would you find something like that? Its hard enough ekeing a living out of pool and poker and such. As he's pondering the problem, Babe reaches up and pinches his nose shut.

         "Ready to watch, Sampson?" She asks with a smile. He nods and removes her hand. "Alright. Action!"

            Its another sad heart wrenching movie, but beautiful, based on La Boheme. Babe's familiar with it apparently as she's singing along with the songs in her range, which is admittedly fairly broad. She hands him the tissues, needing a few herself this time. She's not even trying to steal more popcorn than she should have and when the refrain of no day but today comes back on near the end she doesn't sing along this time. He looks down to find her just looking up at him.

     "Nooe. Not glowing in the dark yet." She forces a grin and turns away reaching for another box of tissues. "I'm a little dissapointed to be honest. Maybe we need a black light."

        How would he feel? If he were in her shoes. If she were dying and never told him that she loved him. Would he really feel it was a good thing? Or would he want to know, no matter how he felt. If he loved her back and she never said anything and died, would that really be a good thing?

         What would be worse? To have the person you love die never telling them that you loved them, never hearing they loved you, loosing the only moments you could have had together. Or to being told a person you cared for loved you more than you loved them and having to break their heart even as they're dying.  Which would be worse to die without telling the one you love that you love them and when they loved you in return or to be told that they didn't feel that way? 

        It seems so silly when you put it in those terms. What he'd want is for it to be said no matter what end he's on, no matter how they both feel about each other. He is a hypocrite and a coward, a stupid coward at that. What he's risking is so much worse than what he's not. For both of them.

        "Gabrielle." He softly says her name. She looks over to him, her beautiful golden eyes showing her concern at the name. "Olive juice." Is all his stupid radiation ridden brain lets him say. She grins and when she opens her mouth to respond in kind he just kisses her. Fortuntely she's sitting on enough pillows that he can do so without breaking his neck, but even more miraculously she kisses him back. 

         Unfortunately he forgot about the girls. And they remind him of their presence by clapping and cheering with a few whistles thrown in for good measure. He can immediately see from her stunned wide eyed expression when they seperate that  it was a mistake.

          "I have to go." She grabs her crutches and gets to her foot amazingly fast.

          "Babe, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..." Sam starts to get up but the IV is still hooked up with the stand on the opposite side. Babe is out the door like her life depended on it.

          "S'okay, I got this." Claire puts a hand on his arm, and takes Babe's purse. "Hold up I'll give you a ride." 

           "Don't worry," Alex reassures him, "She's not freaking out because she doesn't like you. She's freaking out because she does." Thats not exactly that reassuring though. "She'll be back once she calms down and talks things over with Claire. Just give her a bit. Definitely don't run out on chemo to go after her."

            "No, right." Sam covers his face. What was he thinking just kising her like that? He already knew how guarded she was, how reluctant she was even about using the word freinds. Why just... kiss her? And he didn't even really say it, did he? He didn't exactly tell her he loved her. 

         It seems like an eternity before he's done for the day and though he orders dinner trays for them both, Alex choosing to go to the cafeteria, she hasn't come back yet or even called to say she was coming back.

         "Oh for christ sake." He hears Alex's exhasperated tone as she walks quickly back into the room. "Can't you get her to sleep on it at least?... well, you can't let her.... that's not exactly a long term solution Claire and I'm fairly sure it's illegal, even if it is for her own good..... he can't.... Fine! I will call you back." She angrily hangs up the phone. "Sam, you're done for the day, right?."

         "Yes." He straightens up.

         "Well, Babe's determined to skip town for good like immediately. Claire's managed to imprison her in the bathroom but she'll need her insulin soon and Hel hasn't gotten back to her again yet. Claire wants you to get over there and try and reason with her if you can."

          "What's her address?"

          "77 Messenger Lane. Apartment 7 ." Alex takes a red bull from her purse as well as some ultra strength asprin and hands them to Sam before going to get his clothes from the dresser. Sam takes about a dozen and heads slips his jeans on under the hospital gown. It occurs to him that hurridly fleeing a hospital has become almost routine.

         Of course whats not routine is his inability to manage the damn button above the zipper. He just leaves it and slips on his boots.

         "I'll get the laces." Alex hands him his tshirt shirt, buttons his button and bends down to lace up his boots. It's more than slightly embarassing, but it is what it is.

         "Mr. Singer. What are you doing?" The nurse walks quickly into the room. 

          "Something's come up. I jave to go but I'll be back. I'm not discharging myself Im just... taking a walk?" He slips on the 'fuck cancer' beanie Dean got him, for extra effect and unleashes the puppy eyes. Alex always marvels at how such an enormous man can make himself look so very small and pathetic.

          "I'm going with him." Alex reassures her, grabbing her backpack. " We shouldn't be too long."

         "Please?" Sam's final plea is wjat does it.

         "Alright. " She sighs. "You're not a prisoner. Leave the wrist band on and be back before the next treatment in the morning."

         "Thank you." Sam kisses her cheek.

        "Yeah, yeah," she pats his shoudler, "Just try not to die and get me fired."

 

       As Sam passes apartment 6 he can hear an argument in a foreign language that is not spanish. He doesn't see a number 7 but there is a sign shaped like a straight jacket that says Casa Nuerotica, and underneath it is a patch of discolored paint shaped sort of like a seven. 

          Before he can knock, the door opens revealing Hel, looking frustrated, exhausted and upset, and oddly enough she's not wearing her usual black gown, though her height makes it hard to mistake her. Not many people can look him directly in the eye. The pink knit sweater with white snowmen over white jeans with pink and white Uggs make her look oddly adorable, though the purple sock monkey hat is the clincher.

        "Thank grandfather you're here. She is being beyond unreasonable." She loudly projects the last statement back into the apartment, where Claire in sitting on a chair blocking the bathroom door shut.

         "Claire..." Sam sighs. "Let her out.  Come on, both of you out of the apartment," he waves to the door. ClIre tightens her lips for a second then gets up and moves the chair aside before following Hel out the door. "We're leaving. It's alright." He announces and leaves the apartment as well, closing the door behind him. Claire gives him an uncedulous look and gestures to the apartment. "Kidnapping, stalking , and breaking and entering are not romantic, Claire."

       "Romantic comedy, maybe." Hel shrugs. Claire's mouth twitches into a brief grin. 

        "She's an adult who's allowed to make her own decisions. If she'd rather leave town than be the object of my affections, she has every right." He says though the statement physically pains him to consider.

        "She wasn't making a decision. She's not acting in her right mind, just in blind irrational panic." Claire protests. "She was going to leave without getting her replacement leg, without any money, and with less than a days worth of insulin, abandoning just absolutely everything. I am not letting her do that. I'll have her committed if I have to.

        "I told Claire to stop her. Gabrielle is the greatest hide and seek champion in existence. If she wants to disappear she will. And she does, for stupid, senseless, cowardly reasons that have nothing to do with what either of you want. If she's going to kill herself she should die fighting like fucking man, not passively commiting suicide in the most backhanded way possible!" She yells into the door. There's a statement in that previous language from the apartment accompaned by the sliding sounds of the locks being engaged. "That will only keep me out until he leaves, woman!"

       "Hel, it's okay. I'll take care of this, I promise." Sam sooths the ruffled, fuzzy pink goddess. "Why don't you and Claire go get some coffee or got o the sherifs office with Alex and Jody or something. If I need you. I'll call. Okay?"

       "If you let her leave we will never be able to find her again," Hel's pout is almost heartbreaking.

       "C'mon he's got this."  Claire touches her back. "There's a pizza place nearby that doesn't suck. We'll wait there."

         "Very well," Hel gives a sigh and lets Claire lead her away.

         "You know, you look really cute in that." Sam hears Claire say bashfully as they reach the elevator,

          "Thank you, I was visiting my grandmother in jotunheim."

           "You have a grandmother?"

           "On my mother's side." Sam waits until they're gone to turn back to Babe's apartment. It takes a surprisingly long time to bring himself to knock on her door. There's no answer.

         "Go back to the hospital Sam." He hears her say just as he's about to walk away.

           "Can I just talk to you? Please?" After an even longer time, the door unlocks and opens slightly so he goes inside. "I shouldn't have kissed you. It put you in a hell of a position. It was selfish and I'm sorry."

          "No, it's fine. Romantic movie, about live death living in the now, you got swept up in the moment. It happens." Babe goes over to ger clsoet tossing clothes into a suitcase. "It was a good kiss, don't get me wrong. Would have been better without the chemo breath, but what can you do? Granted I'd probably have ended up talkng you then and there audience be damned, without it, so it's probably a good thing. But it's fine. It's nothing, it's fine."

          "Then why are you leaving?" He demands, ignoring her attempts to throw him off balance.

         "Not because of you." This lie is even more blatant than the bullshit story about the underworld confrence. "Look, I never stay in one place very long. Even in a coma I apparently couldn't stay put. I have no job, no prospects, and am loosing this apartment as of the first. The only reason I'm even staying here at all is you and lets face it, you're great, but not worth a life of homeless poverty." If she could look him in the eye, he might buy it. Maybe. "The kiss just put things in perspective that's all. I'm sorry, Sam, I really am but I have to look out for numero uno, understand?"

        "Even if that wasnt the biggest load of bullshit Ive heard since that story of how you met Hel, none of means you have to skip town tonight. It's only the seventeenth. You still have physical therapy, you need your leg and you need more insulin. If money is an issue, we can get you money. We owe you so much for everything you've done for us so far."

         "No, you don't." She laughs bitterly. "You really don't."

         "Are you in trouble? Has Someone found you? Is that why you're leaving?"

         "No. Sam..." Babe stops and heaves a heavy sigh. "Just go back to the hospital, okay? You shouldn't have left. You're brother will have a stroke when he finds out and probably kill me."

          "He won't, you're human. And who's going to tell him? You? I'm not going back yet. Will please just stop packing and talk to me? We need to talk about this."

         "We are talking, which, coincidentally could have been done just as easily over the phone with you in the hospital where you belong."

         "And if I called you would you have answered?" He challenges. She doesn't answer, just bends over and tries to zip up the enormous overstuffed suitcase. Its practically a trunk. Sam walks over and helps hold the lid down for her.

         "Thanks." She mutters, not looking at him.

          "Anyway, this is something I need to say to you to your face, not over the phone. Babe... Gabrielle, please." The soft heartfelt plea as he lifts her chin to make her look at him, melts her resolve.

        "Fine." Babe lets the crutches fall and takes hold on his arms hopping up onto the top of the suitcase. "Face to face, right?" She wavers slightly, having to keep hold of him to retain her balance. His lips twitch into a smile, but he won't let her distract him. He steadies her, placing his hand on her hips and takes a breath.

         "I love you." He says simply, getting it right this time.

         "No, you don't." She replies just as simply. "You don't... there's too much you don't know about me."

           "Then tell me,"

           "Please just let me go, Sam. Trust me, you'll be glad you did." She pats his cheek and goes to step down but he doesn't let her.

          "I know you lied to me, Babe," Sam sighs, "I know you don't trust me yet and honestly if I had the time to earn that trust, I'd wait. I wouldn't have said anything or done anything, but I don't. It doesn't matter anyway. Whatever you're hiding, I don't care.  Whatever you were it doesn't matter because its the woman standing before  right now, mocking the both of us, that I've fallen in love with.

      "I love the generous, playful, thoughtful, intelligent, brave, caring beautiful young woman with a voice as richly golden as her hair and eyes. The one who's stayed by my side during this entire ordeal so far even at her own expense. If you think that there is anything in your past that I could not forgive or overlook, or would even have the right to pass judgement on, much less that would scare me off... well, you know mine, so you know thats not true. If you're afraid I'll reject you for your dark side, thats only because you haven't seen mine."

          "Please you say that like we haven't played Mario Cart." She smirks. Sam let's himself give a slight laugh at this. 

          "And I love your jokes, your pranks, and your all encompassing sense of humor. Or at least most of it. I love how you are with children and with Claire and Alex. I wish you wouldn't poke at Dean so much, but you know, no one's perfect.  I love you, Gabrielle.

           "If you don't love me, that's okay. You don't have to leave because of it. I'll leave you alone. But if you do, I'm begging you to stay with me and let me love you. I don't care about anything else. I want to spend the rest of my life with you at my side, terrorizing the hospital staff, pranking my brother and singing me love songs. It's selfish I know, but..."

           "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." 

           "Babe..." he sighs

           "Oh fuck it," she puts an arm around his neck and kisses him. "I love you, too, you stupid giant."

         

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Babe. Bringing out the puppy eyes and calling her Gabrielle was not fair. She didn't stand a chance and she knew it. Still she should have told him, the coward.


	27. Castitas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas have their date,  
> Sam and Babe get revenge for all the crap Dean gave them, in a very supportive way.  
> The location to the second to last wine has been uncovered, as well as the lead to the last.  
> Babe confesses, just not to Sam.

         Sam was ridiculously unhelpful. 'Just relax.' The most useless fucking advice he's ever gotten. How do you just relax on cue? All the congradulations from Claire, Alex, Jody and people he hasn't spoken to in almost a year aren't making it any better. Apparently that bitch Babe got ahold of Sam's phone again and sent out prank wedding notifications for Dean and Cas to all his contacts. The most enthusiastic congradulations are from Garth and his wife. If that little bitch wasn't a miniature diabetic amputee, he'd kick her ass.

          Someone knocks at the door to his hotel room. That sickly bitch brother of his actually upgraded the reservations to the honey moon suite and had the consierge leave a basket full of scented oils, industrial sized thing of silicon lube and erotic toys. If Sam wasn't dying, he'd fucking kill him. Of course the high preistess was probably involved in that as well. That woman is a bad influence. 

       "Coming." He looks through the peephole. "Cas, you don't have to knock. You should have a key." Dean opens the door and steps back to let him in. Castiel just brings out a bouquet of orchids from behind his backas well as a small box of truffles. "Um, thanks." Dean takes them.

         "Sam assured me flowers and chocolates were customary." Castiel says haltingly. That little bald ass bitch.

        "No, they're nice."Dean hastily reassures him. "I'm just not sure where to put them, that's all." He looks around, settling for propping them in a water glass. "Do I... should I change into the tux?" He asks as Castiel hangs his trenchcoat up in the closet, and the jacket and tie as well, unbuttoning the top few buttons of his shirt. He remembered. "Hold on." Dean grabs the tux pants and shirt and ducks into the bathroom to change.

         He wets and slicks back his hair a little, changes his mind and musses it slightly, changes his mind again and just towels it dry again, letting it fall as it may. He double checks his teeth and checks his breath. Its fine. He's fine. Is he fine? Sam had them leave friggin anal beads, he couldn't have had them leave breath freshener? Why didn't he think about this earlier. 

       "It's not far if you don't object to walking."

       "No, not at all." Dean makes sure he has his wallet, room key and at least a knife or two as there's no way to hide a gun in this. Not that it would be appropriate for a date. At least not a first date. "So, um, how are things in Heaven?" He asks as they leave the room.

      "Fairly promising." Cas nods. "They're finding cosntructive things to do. There's a focus grouo forming in regards to improving the quality of everyone's personal heavens. They're also working on repairing the library which was severely damaged during the attack of the darkness. Amitiel discovered this when she decided to search for fundmental truths in the human philosophy section."

          "Is there an inhuman philosophy section?" Dean jokes.

          "Yes, but it only consists of Machiavelli's The Prince and Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal. Which are also properly catalogued in the section for satire." Castiel replies. "The librarian has a bit of a sense of humor. I am having some difficulty with him, though. And its impeding my attempts at research" He confesses.

        "He giving you lip?"

        "No. he keeps hiding from me. It makes it difficult to request items as well as to see what he needs to help with the restoration. Harahel has always been a timid angel and had generally avoided me ever since an unfortunate training accident where he almost killed me and another brother. He couldn't be induced to pick up another edged weapon afterwards and was reassigned to the library. I keep trying to reassure him that I hold no hard feelings over the incident, but he won't stay long enough for me to finish."

           "Man, how did he survive that whole fall and warring factions thing then?"

          "Apparently he just hid in the bottom of the ocean until everything blew over."

          "Huh." Dean considers.

          "He is an excellent librarian, though, despite his faults. His assistance helped me locate one of the wines, Vino Castitas. It will be incredibly difficult to procure. It's in Jerusalem at the Temple Mount, deep in a cellar of the First Temple in the ruins below the earth. It's divinely protected, but while our presence would nullify those protections, it also means we would have to bypass both palestinian and Israeli security, quite possibly the moussad. It is highly unlikelybany human being would survive the attempt or the descent among the ruins. I will be discussing infiltration with Rahab."

        "I'm going to have to babysit that belgian bastard again, aren't I?" Dean looks up at hin. Castiel gives a regretful nod. "I can't promise I won't beat the stuffing out of him."

         "Just so long as you enjoy yourself." The serene reply makes Dean grin.

         "So, he stopped hiding long enough to help you find a wine. I'm surprised. I didn't think your siblings liked us."

         "I wss surprised as well. Though he did not stop hiding, he merely sent me the relevant information.  Apparently he had parsed together what I'd been looking for and found some documentation on Vino Castitas. Solomon drank it almost exclusively it seems.  I very much dislike having any of my siblings afraid of me." Dean rubs the distressed angel's back.

        "Well, maybe they'll behave a little more respectfully, and not be such enormous dicks to you."

        "The 'dicks' are not neccessarily the ones who fear me."

        "Oh, well, I dunno. Not everyone can like you, you know, not unless you're doing something wrong." Dean shrugs. "Besides why shouldn't they fear you? You're a total badass." He nudges him. "Which is sexy as hell, just so you know. I love watching you kick ass." Cas just smiles and looks bashfully down at the pavement.

 

         It's surprisingly easy to relax, in truth. And probably the best date he'd ever heard of. He had lunch at Ariston which consisted entirely of various pies, savory and sweet. Even the spinach pie was good. Then they went to the Hellenic Motor Museum. There were cars he'd never seen before, though none of them held a candle to baby.

        An Club was a wash, but to be honest he can't imagine it would have been better than just walking around Athens looking at things and hearing Cas' stories. The breeze off the harbor feels wonderful and the setting sun is making the entire sky a pastel masterpiece. And while he feels ridiculously bashful holding the angel's hand, no one gives them a second glance. 

        "Are you hungry? Would you care for dinner?" Cas asks as they pass a small cafe. 

        "Nah. I'm still stuffed from lunch." He pats his stomach. "Ariston was awesome. How'd you find that place?"

        "A... freind recommended it." He confesses, oddly embarassed. Dean just looks at him. Freind? What freind? Does he have freinds beside Dean and Sam? Why hasn't he met them?

        "Rahab?" He asks doubtfully.

        "Gabrielle." Oh, so that's why he's embarasssed.

        "You seriously asked Polly Pocket for dating advice?"

         "I simply wanted to know if she knew any good places for pie in Athens." From the look on his face he probably got more advice than he asked for.

        "Why would she... oh, right... her relationship with Hel. Why not just ask Hel? I'm fairly sure she'd be less likely to screw with you."

        "I desperately needed a way to change the subject and that was all I could think of." He admits.

          "Nuff said. Well, pleasant surprise, she didn't screw with you. That place was great we'll have to go back tommorrow."

         "As you wish."

         "So, what else is on the docket?" Dean rubs the back of his neck with his free hand.

         "I am unsure. I had planned on spending the rest of the day at An club but since it's under repairs." Cas frowns.

        "Why don't we just head back to the hotel and watch a movie or something?"

         "That sounds..." Cas stops suddenly and turns to the side before letting go of Dean's hand and walking off towards where an artist is painting a ship at sea.

        "Okay?" Dean follows him over. Cas is conversing with the man, probably in greek, and points to part of the painting showing a detailed clay jar strapped to the mast of ship which seems to be as big as the sailors binding it. The artist has a similar picture engraved on a peice of driftwood and seems to be telling Cas a story, gesticulating expressively, so much so that he almost bumps into his canvas.

        Cas takes out his wallet and offers money to the man, who shakes his head. Cas points to the painting instead and the man relents, taking the bills and handing Cas the half finished canvas.

       "It's, um, it's a nice painting." Dean comments.

        "It is a portrait of a ship wreck. The Coupe de Foudre, ironically struck by lightening en route to France. This appears to be Vino Castitas. The wine of Charity. Hopefully it was something the original artist had seen else where and not actual cargo of the sunken ship."

       "Right?" Dean looks at it. "Well, we'll get it back to the hotel and I'll have Sam look it up. Or, you know we can, since he's having trouble typing."

        When they return to the room, someone has set up banners and streamers all over the room. 'Congradulations' 'Best wishes' 'You can do it! .... All! Night! Long!' And of course, the beyond mortifying 'Don't forget! There's ALWAYS time for lube.' 

        "How the fuck..." Dean picks up a large card from the table, a string of condoms falling out as he does so.

         'Stay safe. Love, Babe and co.'

         "I hate that fucking woman." He mutters, ripping the card up as Cas tears down the banners. "How the hell did she... oh, right. The trickster's daughter."  She suckered her ex into it. The waterboy reference was definitely Claire's input which makes it that much worse. Though the smattering of rose petals on the bed isn't so bad. Still, though.

      The phone rings, it's the hospital calling. Did Sam loose his phone or... he feels a chill run up his spine and hastily picks up.

        "Hello?"

        "Hi, Mr. Singer?"

        "Yes? Is everything okay? Is my brother alright?"

        " We don't know. That's why we're calling."

        "What?"

        "He left the hospital at some point last night and hasn't returned."

        "He discharged himself?"

        "No, he simply... left."

        "I'll see if I can get ahold of him. Thanks for calling me over twelve fucking hours after he dissappeared!"

         "The nurse failed to update your contact information on the computer. We only just now found it in her notes. Our sincerest apologies."

         "Uh-huh." Dean hangs up the phone and dial's Sam's cell. He doesn't pick up. He dials that bitch girlfreind of his and that goes straight to voicemail. Just as he's about to call Jody to start a man hunt Sam calls him back. "What the hell are you doing? Where are you, are you alright?"

          "What?" Is the tired reply of a man clearly not prepared for the onslaught of questions. "Wait a minute..."

          "The hospital just called. Why aren't you there? What the hell are you doing and why is it more important than fucking chemotherapy?"

          "Jesus Christ, is that your brother?" He hears an equally exhausted voice groan in the background. "Who pissed in his cheerios?"

           "Please tell me you did not skip out on chemo to shack up with the high preistess or I swear I will violently murder the both of you."

          "What? No, I didn't sk...oh shit!" Dean hears him scramble to his feet, dropping the phone. "Where are my shoes?"

          "More importantly, before you run off and leave me, where is the handcuff key?"

          "Really did not need to hear that, guys." He covers his eyes

           "Not everything's about you, princess." Babe retorts. "Oh, please tell me you did not just kick the key down the vent."

           "Dean, I'll call you back." Sam hangs up.

            "Un-fucking-believable." Den stares at his phone.

           "Is everything alright?" Castiel walks back over.

           "Well, Sam's not lying dead in a ditch so technically. Though he ran out of the hospital to go fool around with Babe, so not so much."

           "I'm certain that is not true. There was likely some sort of emergency and they were simply having fun at your expense." Cas reassures him. Which would be par for the course, honestly.

          "You're probably right." Dean concedes. Its certainly fitting with Babe's twisted sense of humor. He should introduce her to Ardras. The can go of into the sunset causing chaos and distruction together, leaving him and his brother alone for good. "Alright, we've been walking around Athens all day, so I am in desperate need of a shower." Dean is forced to admit. Castiel nods and sits down on the end of the bed, his hands clasped in his lap looking oddly forlorn. What the hell? He hid the gift basket in the bathroom anyway. "Care to join me?"

 

          "I don't believe for a moment that neither of you can pick a lock." Hel stands over the sheet wrapped Babe as she just sits there with one hand cuffed to the broken radiator.

          "I never had to before and he can't even really tie his shows right now so..." Babe shrugs,"Now am I going to just sit here naked and cuffed to the wall or are you going to do something about this?" She gives Hel a pointed look. Hel snaps her fingers, replacing the sheet with a ballerina costume with a pink frilly tutu, white stockings and one slipper laced to the knee. "Very funny."

          "Alright," Claire re enters the apartment. "Sam's on his way back to the hospital with a bounce in his step and a hatful of apologies for the staff." She closes and locks the door behind her before looking over at the unamused Babe. "Ha! Nice." She takes out her phone and takes a picture, with an unneccasary clicking sound. "Oh, do harley quinn! Animated not suicide squad."  Hel obliges.

        " I hate you both."

        "Little orphan annie." Snap. Click. "Alice in Wonderland." Snap. Click. "No, the mad hatter." Snap. Click. " Pippi Longstocking. Amelia Bedelia. Mrs. Piggle wiggle. Miss Piggy. Oh! No no no, what about this." Claire goes on tiptoe next to Hel, whispering into her ear. The goddess laughs her head off and nods, snapping her fingers yet again, this time changing Babe into a split angel/devil costume with horns, a tail, a red leotard black fishnets and fake goats foot prosthetic on the side cuffed to the wall with slicked back hair and on the other a white robe with gold trim, half a golden halo resting on her fluffly curls and a large white floofy feathered wing attached to the back. Click.

         "You are so grounded, missy." Babe glares at the smiling pagan. She is of course, ignored.

         "What do you think of this one?" Hel gives Babe, Shirly Temple curls a little sailor hat and sailor suit style knee length dress with fluffy petty coats and a Mary Jane on her foot. Claire just makes a face. "You're right, aiskling,  yours is better." She returns the angel devil costume.

         "Hel, will you please let me loose? I really have to go to the bathroom." Babe pleads. Hel just snaps her fingers again. "Um, thanks, but seriosuly, when are you going to get me out of these cuffs? This isn't funny."

         "Did you tell him?" Hel demands, crossing her arms. Babe is silent and looks away, eliciting a heavy sigh from the goddess. 

         "Tell who what?" Claire asks, taking pity on her and kneels down to pick the lock. 

          "Sam said he didn't care about anything that happened before now." But even Babe sounds as if she doesn't really believe it.

         "Tell him what?" Claire repeats, finally freeing Babe's hand. Babe sighs and rubs her wrist.

         "Who I was before the coma." Babe falls over onto her side, just lying there on a crushed wing. "And I couldn't. I chickened out."

          "It's only going to make things worse when he finds out now, and you know it. Why can't you do anything the way you're supposed to?" Hel throws up her hands, turning away in exhasperation. 

         "Bree, who were you? Why does it matter so very much?" Claire removes the half halo from  Babe's curls. "You're not still going to run are you?" 

        "No." Babe sighs. "I can't do that to him. Not after this. I am so fucked."

        "You certainly looked it." Claire teases. Babe looks up at her with a grin. "Okay, I gotta ask, the screw in your leg is still healing, he can barely use his hands, the size difference alone and handcuffs?"

         "The handcuffs were afterwards.  Apparently I kept smacking him in the face in my sleep. " Babe shrugs. "As for the rest, red bull, Vicoden, and an interesting nuerological quirk that confuses pleasure and pain during sexy times. At least low levels of it." She winks.

          "Why am I not surprised you're a masochist?" Hel  comments.

           "You kind of have to be hang with the Winchesters." Claire sits down  next to Babe and looks down at her. "I don't suppose you'd tell me who you are. Or do I have to guess?"

          "Here, sit up and eat something." Hel snaps up an omlette and hands it to the woman when she sits up. She opens the fridge to get the insulin and finds the entire kit in there. "You know, aiskling, its only the medication that needs to be refrigerated."

         "Yeah, easier to just shove the whole thing in." Babe shrugs.

         "That's what he said." Claire steals a bite of Babe's breakfast as she snickers at her freinds joke. "C'mon, if I'm cool with Dean and Cas, you know I'll be fine with whatever you were or did or were involved in. I'll help you figure out how to break it to him." Claire takes the kit from Hel and exchanges it with Babe for the omlette.

         "I know you will be, but if you know and don't tell, you'll be screwed and if you know and do I'm screwed so better to just avoid that whole van of worms and let it go."

           "It's really that bad?"Claire asks as Babe checks her blood sugar, dosing herself accordingly. "Does Hel know?"

           "Of course, I am a goddess." Hel nods demurely.

          "And I don't suppose I could get you to tell me," Claire gives her a sly look. 

          "No," Hel sadly shakes her head.

          "Not even if I worship you? Padsionately and creatively? For hours?" Claire makes her best bedroom eyes at the goddess, a flirty smile on her face. Hel puts a finger to her lips, giving the matter intense consideration. Babe is not amused.

          "I don't believe so, but I have been wrong in these matters before." 

           "Claire, please. If you care about me at all, you'll drop it." Babe takes her omlette back before Claire can eat it all, holding out her hand for the fork.

          "Alright, Bree, but I don't know what you think Sam could possibly be able to for... oh sweet jesus, please tell me you're not Lucifer." Claire begs. Unfortunately Babe's unable to respond as she's now violently choking on a piece of omlette.

           "Claire."Hel sighs as Claire pounds on Babe's back. "Do you truly believe that I would be assisting the angel who murdered my father, my biological father and my biological grandfather?"

          "No, I guess not." One last smack and Babe can breathe again.

          "Oh, Dad, no!" She sputters, "I'm Gabrielle okay?"

          "I know that, but before..."

          "More commonly mispronounced as Gabriel." Babe sighs.

          "What? Like the archangel?" Claire frowns. Hel and Babe just look at her.

          "Having a blonde moment I see." Hel comments. Claire just scowls at her.

          "Almost nobody says it right. It pronounced Gabrielle, like using spanish  vowels sounds. Gabriel. You know like all the othe angel names? Raphael, Castiel, Annael, Mi-kai-el. Well, no one gets that right either. How the hell they got Michael. I mean, you don't say, Ray-fee-ul. Ha, Rayfeeul." She snickers. "But no for some reason they decided that Gabrielle is a girls name and angel can't be girls for some reason, they have to be men because even chairs have to have a friggin gender." Babe rolls her eyes. Claire just stares at her.

      "So... are you a girl? Or a boy? Weren't you a boy?"

      "I am a girl now. I was a multidimentional wavelength of celestial intent wearing a boy before. Babe picks at the omlette. 

       "Eat it." Hel says warningly. "The whole thing. "

         "So... wait... didn't you help them stop the apocalypse?  Didn't you die saving him ? Why would he be angry that you're actually you?" Claire tries to wrap her head around it.

        "Here." Babe bends over and take a a couple books out of a nearby crate. Tall tales, Mystery Spot, Changing Channels. "Read these and ask me again. I have to go to the pharmacy and stop at the doctor to make sure I didn't acciddentally fuck up my stump last night."Babe gets slowly to her feet with help from her daughter.

           "I'll highlight the relevant passages." Hel snaps her fingers.

           "Hey!"Claire looks down to see herself in a frilly green off shoudler peasant style belly shirt and a tan leather mini skirt.

            "Woopsie. How did that happen?" Hel asks innocently, snapping her fingers to no effect. "Ah, well, perhaps it can be fixed when I return."she ushers Babe out of the apartment. "After we discuss that interesting worshipping suggestion of yours."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do try to make as many place and things in this as accurate as possible. Every single planned venture on their date is a real place and I did in fact find Ariston by googling best pie in athens greece, so yay. Had to specify thens greece or it just kept beinging me to athens georgia. Even so, gotta love google.


	28. Ex's and Ho's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> wayward daughters brainstorm at karaoke night.

      Alex looks over the books, interesting, hillarious, she especially liked the animal tester eaten by crocodiles but she's not sure why Claire is putting so much emphasis on them.

      "Okay? It's about Hel's father, right? So... you're worried about dating the daughter of a trickster?" She asks, not quite understanding why the whole 'Goddess of the underworld' thing isn't enough of an issue in itself.

        "Ha. No, that's Bree." Claire taps the pages.

        "I can see that. If she had angelic or godly powers and stuff. She'd totally pull crap like that. Well, worse probably." Alex concedes. Claire just looks at her. "What? And what in your girlfreind's name are you wearing anyway?"

         "Never mind what I'm wearing and she's not my girlfreind."Claire blushes.  "I meant that's Bree. Bree is Gabriel. Gabrielle. Was... Bree is the trickster, Loki, Hel's father, sort of. Apparently Angrboda had a prolongued affair with Baldur. That whole thing with the aesir is just hugely soap opera stuff that I won't get into right now... anyways..." Claire waves it off.

         "Are you serious? How did you find out? Did Hel tell you?" 

         "No. Bree did, but Hel confirmed it." Claire sighs.

        "Does Sam know?"

        "No. He's going to kill her when he finds out. If he finds out." Claire looks pointedly at Alex who ignores her.

        "So she's not actually diabetic?"

        "I don't know. We didn't really have time to discuss it. She's coming back. What do we do about this?"

        "Why are you asking me?" Alex exclaims, surprised at the intensity of the question and the fact that it's so clearly aimed her way.

        "You're the psychology student, right? How do we or Bree tell him without total chaos so he'll forgive her and not stab her in the chest with a wooden stake." Claire waves Mystery Spot in front of Alex's face. Alex grabs the book away.

         "I just started classes, Claire and just decided on my major. I have no idea how to handle any of this! I say don't tell him until his soul is secure and he's cured of cancer. He has enough stress right now. If it goes badly it could literally kill him, or at least kill him quicker."

         "And if he dies and has his soul irretrievably tossed into oblivion for all eternity?"

         "Suicide watch for Dean and Bree obviously. But it won't be an issue at that point will it?"

        "So we definitely don't tell him." Claire says as almost more of an order than a question.

         "No. 'We' don't. Look, you know Bree's going to have to tell him. It has to come from her if he's ever going to be okay with it. Let's just direct his focus on the whole retrieving Death thing, and the fact that she's been well, his ministering angel dedicated to him and his salvation."

       "Right." Claire nods, that makes sense.

       "So what's with the mini skirt?" Alex looks down at Claire's legs. "Did you wax?"

        "No. Hel decided to play dress up. It is smooth as anything, though. Feel that. Like a baby." She puts her leg up on the crate, running her hand over her calf.

       "Did she give you the neon pink thong too or were we feeling frisky today?" Alex comments with a grin. Claire blushes and puts her leg back down, not answering. "Well, at least now you know she's not secretly still in love with her ex." Alex plops down on Babe's bed, and looks around at it. "So, the nest. Is that an angel thing to do you think?" She fluffs a few pillows. "Or just a Bree thing."

       "I dunno." Claire takes out her phone, "Let me ask Castiel."

       "Seriously? You're just going to call him up and ask him ' Hey, Castiel, do angels make nests? You know seeing as you're just big glowing birds the size of sky scrapers.' " Alex mimics a phone with her hand.

       "Shut up." Claire tosses a pillow at her, but doesn't make the call.

       "Why not just ask Bree? She's an angel right?"

       "Like there's even the slightest chance that she would answer that question or any like it without totally fucking with me in every way possible." Claire shoots her a look, tapping her hand with the phone.  They need to meet some more angels. Not that any would be as cool as Bree or as doofy as Cas or the least approachable in any way. "So... Bree raised Hel... That's so strange."

       "That poor woman." Alex grimaces. "Hey, isn't it karaoke night?"

       "Oh my god it is!" Claire's out the door, locking it behind her before Alex can even check the date on her phone.

       "Hey!" Alex grabs Babe's forgotten keys and her bag and chases after her.

 

 

        "And even if I wasn't coming, were you really going to just make me walk all the way back to the hospital or the police station or what?" Alex snaps as they enter the bar. Claire just sighs and goes to claim a booth.

        "I said I was sorry, Alex. Jesus, what are you my freaking girlfriend?" Claire checks her phone. "I totally forgot about karaoke night. And Krissy's getting in early it looks like. I'll just have her meet me here."

        "Krissy?" Alex asks putting her backpack on the floor under their usual booth.

        "Craigslist girl." Claire slides in. Alex just widens her eyes at her. "The hunter! I'm not hooking up on craigslist. That's what skeevy bars are for."

        "Speaking of hooking up, you spent the night with Hel." Alex pulls out a book and note book, not bothering to hide a knowing smile.

        "Not like that. We were staking out Babe's apartment in case she tried to run after all. We pretty much just talked and drank coffee and hot chocolate in the station wagon and I zonked out on her shoulder around three like a fucking amateur."

         "Looking good, Novak. Yow!" One of the bus boys comments reminding Claire she's still in the mini skirt and belly shirt combo.

         "Shit." Claire covers her face. "Give me your shirt." She holds out her hand to Alex who takes off her over shirt and hands it over. It falls further past her behind than the skirt does so there's that. She'd button it up but then it'd look like she was just wearing the shirt, and a boyfriends shirt at that, which is arguably worse."Is this Sam's shirt?" she rolls the sleeves up more.

         "I spilled coffee all over mine and had to run to class. He didn't want me catching cold." Alex says a little defensively.

         "Wasn't that three days ago."

         "It's comfortable! Speaking of which, Im surprised you haven't caught pneumonia in that. And where's your gun?"

         "I don't know where any of my weapons are." Claire  feels the brief scraps of fabric. "I have got to figure out how to nullify that woman's powers." She mutters.

         "Did you remind Bree yet? She probably forgot too with her little manage-a-moose last night." Alex fishes around for her pen.

         "Nope. If she doesn't show up, I might actually stand a chance at winning." Claire waves the waitress over. Alex just gives Claire a reproachful look and texts Babe the reminder. "Hey, you don't obtain apotheosis through kindness and good sportsmanship. Just an iced tea with lemon, on the rocks." She winks at the woman who smiles humorlessly and goes back to the bar. "She's new I see. Hey, is there like a kind of counceling that can teach you how to help people come out to other people?" Claire takes Alex's intro to sociology book and flips through it.

        "I don't know. Probably, but I'm fairly sure getting caught making out with your math tutor was sufficient." Alex takes the water the waitress plunks down before her. "Thanks. My five hundred dollar text book could use some water damage." she grabs the napkins and hastily cleans up the water splashed on the book in Claire's hands. "It's not like these things have resale value or anything. If you tip her, I'm confiscating it."

         "Not me. Bree. Like advice on how to come out as like, I don't know transgender? He knew her as a guy before right? Or transspecies as I guess she wasn't really either.  You know to help her talk to Sam." Claire taps the table.

         "It's not the trans anything part that'd be the problem, so much as the repeatedly murdering his brother on endless Tuesdays and hitting him the junk on a mock Japanese game show that are the real issues here, Claire."

          "Well, I mean when you put it like that sure. But who here hasn't wanted to kill Dean at some point?" She argues. Alex just gives her a look. Claire does feel slightly uncomfortable. "She took it back." But that's an equally weak argument. She really should feel more troubled with that point. Dean is kind of part of the family now, but she's really not in the position to throw stones. "Dean's probably more of an issue than Sam. Sam won't hurt her, not really. But Dean, Dean will fucking kill her when he finds out."

           "No, he won't. his boyfriend won't let him." Alex flips through her book to the third chapter, starting her note taking. "She is his sister remember?"

           "Right. Do you think he knows? Angels can recognize each other can't they? Of course his abilities and stuff are all wonky right now and who knows what's up with her right now in regards to that whole angel thing. And I really doubt he'd keep it from Sam and Dean." Claire rests her head on her arm. "Uhhh, I'm so tired. you don't still have that redbull do you?"

           "No, I gave it to Sam yesterday."

           "Alright. Wake me when a cute brunette with chestnut curls and a beauty mark gets here."  Claire rests her head on the table.

           "Not a chance, Claire. I'll run off to Tiajuana with you in a stolen impala, but I'm drawing the line at helping you cheat on the queen of the damned. I do have some sense of self preservation." Alex doesn't even look up and Claire gives her an annoyed look.

           "First off, they're not damned, they just didn't die as warriors or in child birth, okay? And secondly, it's Krissy. Wake me if you see Krissy Chambers, you snarky brat. " Claire  brings up a picture on her phone and pushes it over. "And Hel is not my girlfriend. We had half of a date and one evening of conversation where we stalked her father to keep him from fleeing the state and vanishing into thin air, that's all."

            "Huh, you know, Bree being her father and not her ex girlfriend, really points to her being kind of a huge daddy's girl, doesn't it. Granted so are you... I wonder how many exgirlfriends she has. And how many are immortal or goddesses."

            "Alex, what are you doing? Why are you doing this to me?"

            "Claire Novak?" The aforementioned cute curly haired brunette walks up to the table, hands in her pockets.

            "Krissy Chambers?" Claire straightens up and offers her hand. "That was fast."

            "I was closer than I thought." Krissy gives it an awkward shake.

             "This my sister, Alex, She's also opting out of the life, in favor of becoming a therapist for the supernaturaly traumatized. The Winchesters being her inspiration." 

            "See a need, fill a need." Alex gives the young woman a breif nod of acknowledgement. 

            "Have a seat." Claire motions to the other side next to Alex. 

            "I thought you were an only child." Krissy takes her seat, propping her feet up on the other side of the booth.

           "We're not sisters sisters. We're just... you know..." 

            "Less than lovers more than freinds." Alex clarifies.

            "Okay." Krissy nods and looks Claire over. "You're a hunter?" Alex laughs at the doubtful tone in her voice. Claire just scowls. 

             "Friggin norse goddess  tricksters daughters." She mutters. "Yes, but not tonight. Tonight I am a goddess in the making." Claire defiantly discards the over shirt and walks over to sign in for tonight's competition. 

           "Who is a goddess in the making, my freind?" Babe calls, thumping in the bar on her crutches.

             "Oh my god! Your leg! What happened!" One of the other newer waitresses who's never seen her sans boots exclaims, covering her mouth in shock.

              "Splash mountain. When they say keep your hands and arms in the ride at all times they're not fucking around." Babe lies.

               "Really?" The wide eyed girl asks, "Oh my god that's so awful."

             "Don't listen to her." The bartender rolls his eyes. "She's always had a prosthetic. So where's the pegleg? Dog run off with it while playing fetch?"

             "Sewer gator, just came snap right out of the grate, chomped my leg and took off with it." Babe claps her hands together.

              "I don't know why you're making stuff up. The real story's better." Alex straightens up. "We were picking mulberries in the park by the bridge. She was standing on the railing like a dumb ass with her fake foot wedged in the decorations. A kid fell from the bridge trying to pick them too, she lunged forwards to catch him and ripped her leg out of the socket in the proccess."

           "And the screw it was attatched to," Claire adds "Because somebody couldn't be bothered to eat properly or excersize to restrengthen her bones after a decade long coma or go to physical therapy like a sane person to learn to walk without fucking up her leg and prosthetic." Claire adds.

           "Oh, bite me, Blondie." 

           "Bring it, stumpy." Claire flips her off in return as they pass.

            "Hey, woah." Krissy holds out her hands, stepping forwards. 

            "Relax, we're besties." Babe winks at her.

             "Okay?"

             "Oh, Krissy. This is Bree. Short for Gabrielle. She's Sam's lover and mini ministering angel of the morning. As you can see he can just put her in his pocket and be on his way. She's the perfect portable travel sized girlfreind for the hunter on the go." Claire pats Babe's head. Alex tries valiently not to laugh. 

              "Ha ha ha ha ha." Babe laughs humorlessly and swipes Claire's feet out from under her with her crutch as she goes by. "No more short jokes tonight, got it, Skipper? My stump is killing me." 

              "So like an 'angel' angel?" Krissy asks helping Claire up.

             "Sure, Krissy. A real live diabetic angel with a prosthetic leg." Claire responds.

             "Well, I can't exactly see the diabetes. Are you always this big of a sarcastic bitch because if so we'll get along just fine." She puts an arm around Claire's shoulder. "So Sam's got a girlfreind. Is she a hunter, too?"

              "Nah, Bree's... complicated. She has some useful contacts, though. We're currently competing to become the next god of karaoke. Bree's in the lead."

            "Cool. So how are the Winchesters? Does Dean have a girlfreind too?" She asks that last question extremely casually.

         "Not exactly." Alex replies before Claire can.

            

           "Ah, man."Krissy knocks back a whiskey as soon as the waitress brings it. " That sucks. Cancer? Really?"

            "We're not too worried." Claire shrugs, "I mean c'mon. Those guys die all the time. It never takes. Besides they're working on it right now, that's why Dean's in europe with Cas."

             "I thought you said they were on their honey moon." Krissy frowns. 

              "That, too." Claire grins.

              "Is there anything I can do? I mean. I kind of owe em." Krissy looks at her empty glass.

              "Well, they want to try super intensive chemo, maybe full body irradiation and they need to find compatible bone marrow. We can't find a match but Babe's trying to find someone that one of us is a match to, to do an exchange, but that's about it on our end."

            "Alright. I can see about that, I'll make some calls, too. Have you guys contacted anyone else who owes them? Other hunters see if they're a match?"

             "No, we didn't even think of it." 

            "I'll let Garth know the situation. We'll see what we can do. Man, those guys are always trying to do everything themselves. Weight of the world even mundane stuff like this. Do they even know how to ask for help?"

              "You're up baby blue." Babe taps Claire on the head with her crutch and takes her seat.

              "With regards from the gentleman at the bar." Their waitress puts down a mug of hot chocolate loaded with whipped cream in front.of Babe. She glances back.

              "Shit." Babe quickly turns back around. Alex hides behind her book. "I'm going to go over there before he comes over here." Babe reassures Alex and heads over to the handsome dark skinned south American man.

             "Who's that cutie?" Krissy asks appraising him.

            "Quetzalcoatl," Alex says quietly. 

            "Whosa what now?" 

           "Aztec god. Its a long story. Do not try to kill him," Alex peeks over the text book. "Ah fuck.oh fuck.oh fuck.oh fuck.oh.fuck." she mutters,

            "Why is he giving her jewelry?" Krissy frowns. 

             "I don't, um," Alex takes out her phone and starts frantically texting as Babe politely declines the gift.

              "Fuck, what's the boot stealer doing here?" Claire glances at the bar before sliding back into her seat, "He sent her cocoa? That's actually kind of cute."

              "Bree calls him Coa-coa."Alex explains.  " I think he's hitting on her. This is not going to go well."

             "I don't have my sword either." Claire puts her hand to her waist. Or any weapons at all. Not that there's much to room to hide them."Friggin Hel. Quick, ask Sam how to kill an Aztec god using only items found in a two star karaoke bar." She nudges Alex's leg with her foot.

          "What? No. You know if I ask him that he'll run out of the hospital again the second he reads it. I already texted Castiel, it fine." Alex tries to make herself as small as possible.

           "You texted him? What are you out of minutes?"

           "It's like three am in Athens, either Dean's asleep or they're not... sleeping. Anyway nothing's happened yet. I just... you know." Alex shrugs.

           "I'd better let Hel know the feathered serpent is lurking about. But you know, Castiel could also be up in Heaven."

          "I doubt it, he doesn't strike me as the love em and leave 'em type. Think they'll let him back in now though?" Alex grins.

          "Holy crap can you imagine doing the walk of shame going home to heaven?" Krissy laughs, "Sneaking in wearing the same clothes you had on yesterday. The entire heavenly host waiting disapprovingly in the living room in celestial bathrobes, wings in curlers. 'And just where have you been all night, young man?' While you know they already know, but your going to lie about it anyways." 

           "He always wears the same clothes." Alex comments, rolling her eyes, though Claire has lost it at the wings in curlers comment. "And technically he's not a man, he's just ... wearing one. Angels are multidimentional wavelengths of celestial intent."

           "How on earth do you have sex with that?" Krissy muses "And what do you mean he's wearing someone? Who is he wearing?" She stops at the sentance a bit taken aback. "Man, never thought I'd hear myself ask that question. Literally or figuratively."

           "He's wearing Claire's father." Alex informs Krissy as the hunter takes the abandoned mug of hot chocolate. "What are you doing?"

            "What?" Krissy looks up, a whipped cream mustache on her lips. "Bree can't have it, you said she was diabetic, remember? I'll buy her an unsweetened ice tea when she gets back." She takes another sip, getting actual hot chocolate and not just melted whipped cream this time. "Ooo, is that cinnamon? That's good. Wait a minute. How can he date Dean if he's using someone else's body with someone else in there with him. Are they like a threesome?"

        "No. My parents are dead," Claire informs her with a hint of bitterness  God just gifted Castiel his body I guess. And he feels obligated to keep an eye on me. Its complicated. I really don't want to talk about it, and yes its weird, but I deal with it so its fine."

          "So Castiel is kind of like a long lost uncle, who's your father's identical twin or something." Krissy goes back to her hot chocolate.

           "I have no idea why that perspective makes me feel so much better about the whole thing but it really does." Claire wonders.

          "I wonder what its like, being a vessel and sharing your body with an angel." Krissy, of course, has to ruin the moment of fake normalcy.

           "Weird." Claire scrunches her nose. "Like being stuck between two emormous manspreading dudebros on the bench of a crowded subway. Except you know more so."

            "I think your dad described it like being chained to a comet?" Alex tries to remember. "Its in the books,"

            "My dad is in the books?" Claire's voice sounds very small. Alex regrets mentioning it. Maybe therapist isn't the best career choice. 

           "What books?" Alex just hands Krissy Tall Tales. "Who are these guys supposed to be?" Krissy taps the cover.

             "Sam and Dean."

             "What? Who the... okay now this I gotta read." She glances at the back cover and settles in. Alex looks back at her phone as it beeps.

            "Castiel is on his way." She gives a sigh of relief.

             "So, what he's just going to blip in from greece? Appear in the bar?" Krissy looks around, interested.

              "Eh, no, he has flight issues at the moment." Claire shakes her head. "He had an upgrade but wasn't given a manual. He can only get within a mile radius of his destination."

               "Quarter mile now I think," Alex corrects her.

               "Oh, thats good." 

              "I dont und... oh, wow. Is that him?" Krissy looks at the door as someone bursts in.  "The serious faced man in a trenchcoat with eyes so blue they'd drown your very soul?"

           "Yup. That's him." Claire waves and points to Babe at the bar. Castiel nods and heads that way,

          "Man, your dad is frickin hot!" Krissy fans herself. 

          "Dude!"   Claire looks at her with irritsted incredulity. 

          "You look like him. I can see why she called you baby blue. Man, I never had a chance, did I?" She frowns with resigned dejection. Alec and Claire just look at her for a moment.

           "What with Dean?" Claire verifies. Krissy gives a half smile,"No, no you didn't." Krissy just sighs and watches Castiel stride purposefully over to where Babe and the Aztec god are sitting. All he's missing is a shotgun to complete the protective father/big brother image. 

           "We should probably get out of here." Alex suggests.

           "No need." Hel approaches them from the other direction. "The feathered serpent is too wise to take on an archangel of any strength."she slips into the booth beside Claire and looks steadily at Krissy. "And you are?" Hel sounds every inch the frost giantess despite only being half.

            "Um, Krissy Chambers. I'm here with Claire. I saw her ad on craigslist and, um, hi?" She hesitantly holds out her hand. Hel just stares at it until he takes it back.

             "She's a hunter."Claire sighs. "Krissy. This is Hela, daughter of Loki, Queen of Helheim one of the norse underworlds. She's a goddess and a jealous twat with boundary issues."

             "She's..... your girlfreind?" 

            "Not if she's going to act like this she's not." Claire looks over at the irritated goddess. "I want my clothes back. And my weapons." Hel snaps her fingers and a bag of clothes manifests between them. "Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me." Hel gets up so Claire can take the bag to the bathroom.

             "So." Krissy spins the mug as Hel watches Claire walk away. "You're... a goddess huh?" Hel does not deign to reply. Alex just goes back to her textbook and notes.

             "Don't kill her either." Krissy's only partly sure Alex is talking to her.


	29. Honeymoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arrangements are made for obtaining the final two wines.  
> A little lovey dovey Destiel and old married couple Sabrielle <3

        Dean wakes to the strange and unsettling feeling that no one is watching him sleep. He looks to the side of the bed then sits up to look back around the hotel room. Cas is no where to be seen. There is a note though.

          'Alex requested assistance. I will return shortly with coffee and breakfast.' Well alright then. He's not ready to move yet anyway. Its not like he expected Cas to just lie in bed all night holding him or something. He did kind of wish he'd at least be here when he woke up, though. At least this time. But if the girls needed help... Are they okay? He goes to look for his phone to call and check. It rings just as he finds it. Its Cas.

          "Talk to me." Dean answers it, the greeting eliciting a breif almost confused pause on the other end. "Cas?"

          "My apologies. Quetzalcoatl has decided to court Gabrielle and arrived in the middle of karaoke night. None of them were armed or prepared for his presence. He did not seem hostile but they were concerned, as they had tried to kill him at their last encounter and were reluctant to believe he held no grudges. I felt it best to be present."

         "Oh, okay." Dean rubs his eyes, "And good morning to you, too."

        "Good morning, Dean. I should return shortly."

        " 'Kay,"

        "I love you, Dean."

        "Love you, too, baby." Dean gives a sleepy grin and hangs up. Why the hell did he wait so long? And why is he up so damn early? Is it even sunrise yet? Barely. Dean plops back down and pulls a pillow over his head, going right back to sleep.

     

        "Um, excuse me," An unfamiliar voice says quietly as a hand touches his shoulder. On reflex, he grabs the gun from under his pillow and aims it at the blurry form beside him, unlocking the safety in the same motion. The wide eyed person before him vanishes almost instantly, dropping a stack of books and papers as he does so.

         "What the hell?" He mutters and looks down at the papers fluttering down to his lap. They're french and look like pages from a ledger or something.

        "Please don't shoot me," a timid voice comes from somewhere in the room. "I was just looking for Castiel." 

       "He's not here. Who are you?" He looks around finally seeing the young gentleman peering out from behind the closet door.

      "Oh for christ sake, Hara, you're an angel. It wouldn't matter if he shot us anyway." The man almost jerks himself out into the open, "No, I'm pretty sure that's a colt." He corrects her. 

      "I repeat, who are you."

      "I'm Saul. I'm hosting the most pathetic excuse for an angel named Harahel who's trying to find the archangel named Castiel." He gives an exhasperated sigh.

       "I'm Dean Winchester, Saul. Will you get the little librarian that could to come out and talk to me?" He lowers the gun. 

       "I'll try." Saul sighs.

      "And for future reference. Don't sneak up on a sleeping Winchester. It's not good for your health." 

        "Right. Hara, get out here.... no... just come... don't be absurd you can't kill death... why would he... do you want to just go? Because we can just go... This is your errand not mine.... ahhh." Saul throws his hands up in the air.  "Alright, look, this angel came when I was drunk last night and asked me to help break into some maritime museum in Carconne for these shipping manifests and such, so I did because why the hell not, and he brought the stuff and some other things here. I have no idea what he wanted to tell this Castiel person. All I know is that I'm absurdly sober with a spineless angelic librarian lodged in my head and I just want to get this over with so I can go back to my hotel and play poker in the casino until I attract high end hookers like I came here to do." The tirade makes Dean have to repress a smile.

        "You do know you can kick him out at any time, right?" Dean informs him, reaching down to grab the towel from the floor.

      "What am I heartless?" Saul looks at him like he just suggested he drown a kitten. "Who knows what kind of asshole the poor thing might end up in next. Could you try and tell him you're not going to kill or hurt him and that you did not do something as absurd as killing death? I swear, you'd think a librarian would understand the concept of a tall tale." Saul rolls his eyes.

       "Actually, I kind of did kill Death. We're kind of working on bringing him back. Bearing that in mind would you go wait outside for a while so I can take a shower and get some clothes on? My trigger fingers a little itchy when I'm a la mode."

        "You mean au natural." Saul smirks not impressed with the pretty boy in front of him.

         "Whatever... just get out of my room for a minute," Dean motions to the door with his gun. Saul raises his hands and leaves the hotel room. Friggin' angels. How the hell did that thing last this long?

         "Cas?" He pauses for a breif prayer. "One of your siblings is looking for you, the librarian Harasomething. You should try to get here before he has a friggin heart attack."

        Dean takes a quick shower and throws on some jeans and a t shirt before heading to the door to let the angle and his vessel back in.  There's a knock as he nears the door.

        "Hold your horses, I'm coming." He opens it to see Ardras and Rahab at the door. Saul/Harahel are nowhere to be seen. "Did... did you see somebody out here?" Dean looks down the hallway.

        "No. Should we have?" Ardras gives a disinterested glance around.

         "Yeah, there was this angel here for Cas."

          "What angel?" Rahab quickly drawns to attention looking around himself. 

          "The librarian, Hara..."

          "Harahel." Rahab visibly relaxes. "No. So he's still alive."

          "Apparently. What do you two want?" 

          "I'm here to discuss the infiltration of the Temple Mount with Castiel. He didn't tell you we spoke?" 

          "I just woke up, dude. Alright. Come on in. He should be back soon."Dean ushers him in, and closes the door behind them after giving one last look for Harahel.

          "The honeymoon suite. How romantic." Ardras comments picking up a crushed rose petal from the bed. Dean just ignored him, gathering the books and papers, putting them in a pile on the table by the balcony. "Doing some treasure hunting I see. Ah, the Coupe de Foudre a prime example of why you don't take shortcuts. Waste of time, there's nothing of value on that wreck, even if you could get to it." Ardras flips through the leaflets. "Nothing worth the dive at least. Nothing that could survive the trench."

          "You know where it is?"

         "Oui," Ardras nods. "Rahab is an angel of the ocean. In our more financially desperate moments he has left me, breifly to retrieve some salvage. When I can't procure transport myself, he is very quick."

          "I haven't gone that far below in a hundred years. The last time I did you nearly got your face ripped off by a hellhound." Rahab picks up a book. "Half of it was resting on the edge of the calypso deep. I can only imagine the other half lay at the bottom of it."

          "Well, Cas thinks Vino Castitas was on that ship," Dean nods to rhe painting. 

            "Very well, I shall go and see." Rahab nods and leaves the hotel room as eager to get away from Ardras as ever, not that Dean blames him. 

            "So you and your angel married."

             "What?" Dean frowns, looking over to see Ardras lift a banner from the trash. 'Just Married'. He didn't notice that one. "No. That's just my brother's girl being a pain in the ass. But touch him again and I'll knock you into next week, understand?"

            "Promise?" Ardras smirks, taking out a red packet of cigarrettes, Dean snatches it away, bends the box in half and tosses it off the balcony into the hotel pool. The belgian just stares at him a minute. "Tu marceau de merde! Those were Belgas! Do you have any idea how long its been since I've had a pack of Belgas? I had to steal those off a tourist!"

           "Stop trying to pick fights with me, leave my angel alone and don't smoke in my hotel room, you psycho soaked waffle." 

           "Bouffe me queue calisse de fag." Ardras grabs his crotch.

            "Oh yeah? Te mere suce la penis d'animau apre l'argent." Dena retorts, having memorized the insult just for such an occaision. Ardras does not take the statement well.

 

           Castiel doesn't say anything. He just sighs and hands Dean his coffee as Ardras and Rahab argue loudly on the balcony.

         "It figures the best day of my life would be followed by this shit storm." Dean mutters, taking a sip.

         "You'll need stitches." Castiel examines the cut on Dean's shoulder from the broken window.

       "Fine, where's the dental floss." Dean gets up and walks over to the bathroom.

       "Was that really neccessary?" Castiel finally asks in irritation, following him in.

        "Probably not." Dean fishes out his sewing kit and lets Cas take it from there.

        "I don't like seeing you injured. Especially when there's nothing I can do about it." Castiel cleanses the cut with an alcohol wipe and threads the needle. "That its because of a pointless enmity with one of our few allies is additionally troubling."

       "Yeah, I know," Dean sighs and runs his hand through his hair. "I wish we could have had just one more day, you know. One more day before having to get back to all this. I mean, I know there's a time issue and Sammy's in chemo and if we can get these last two we're almost there, but still I..." Dean shakes his head.

          "I understand. It never seems as if we have enough time together." Castiel ties off the dental floss and places a bandage over the wound.

          "Cause we don't. There's always something dragging us apart, isn't there?" He looks over to the sorrowful angel. "But still, we always get back to each other, don't we."

          "Yes. We do." Cas smiles. Dean leans over and gives his lover a kiss. That turns into another kiss, and another until, Castiel pauses to closr and lock the bathroom door. 

 

           "Les nouveaux maries." Ardras snorts derisively, lifting his glass of wine to the pair as they emerge from the bathroom. Rahab shoots him a warning look.

            "So, any luck with finding the shipwreck?" Dean changes the subject.

            "Yes. Unfortunately there is an issue. Not only is the wine at the very bottom of the Calypso deep, but there are protections that keep me from getting too near. Not to mention that my angelic presence attracts numerous beings. I'm afraid I cannot retrieve it. It is unlikely either of us can, if we hope to leave it intact." Rahab shrugs.

          "Well, how the hell do we get it then?"

          "We'll just have to do it scientifically, since we can't do it supernaturally." Ardras takes out his phone. "I have a freind who owes me several very large favors. I can get us a Konsul but not for several weeks. It will cost you, though, and I'll unfortunately need Winchester to accompany me to nullify the wards."

          "Absolutely not." Cas says firmly, despite how pale he looks at the suggestion.

           "I'm not exactly thrilled with the idea of going to the bottom of the ocean either, but you know," Dean shrugs. "Hardly the worst place we've had to go." The look on castiel's face shows he disagrees.

           "Brother," Rahab speaks soothingly to Cas in enochian. Dean only understand the word 'leviathan'. Castiel responds in the same tongue, making Rahab give a conceding tilt of the head before an even gentler reply.

            "If anything happens to him, I will do things to you that you could not imagine in your worst nightmares." Castiel looks steadily at the pair. Adras rolls his eyes.

            "If anything happens to him down there, I am fucked regardless of what you do." The belgian reminds him, opening the box of truffles. "Eh, swiss." He puts it down after taking a bite. "Why did you get him this garbage? Do you care for the man at all?" Ardras reproaches Cas, tossing the box into the trash.

          "I am simply not convinced you can be together in a confined space for a prolongued period without attempting to kill each other." Castiel responds dryly.

           "What? No. I love this fucking asshole." Ardras protests, waving off the accusation. "Besides, not even this meat head is big enough of an idiot to start a fight on a submarine vehicle."

           "Dras." Rahab glares at his lover.

           "Cas, we need that wine." Dean does his best to ignore him. "It'll be fine. If it really worries you we can try to figure something else out these next few weeks. If we can't we have this to fall back on."

          "What kind of wards are they?" Castiel asks.

          "The kind that manipulate electricity. Its likely that it was an attempt to interfere with it that led to the wreck. We should discuss an increase in fee since this is an additional service."

            "Very well."

            Dean pulls out his phone and starts texting Sam. If this bargaining session is anything like the last, it will be loud and long. 

 

            "Yeah!" Krissy holds up the test results. "Suck it, bitches!" She does a little victory dance around the hotel room.

              "You're a match?" Alex looks up from her notes.

              "No, it's just typed up in such a pretty font." She looks the paper over again. Alex gives her a look and resumes studying. 

               "You really don't have to do this." Sam pauses his texting.

            "I know. Scoot over," Krissy nudges Claire in the sleeper chair. Claire just gives her a suggestive wink and pats her lap. Much to her surprise, Krissy plops down as invited with her legs over the arm and an arm around Claire's neck."It's no biggie. Trust me. So who's that? Bree?" She reaches back to taps Sam's phone with the refolded papers. 

          "No, its Dean. They'll have vino Caritas this weekend and vino Castitas in a few more." Sam informs them.

            "So whats with this whole wine thing?" Krissy asks.

            "I'll tell you later."Claire adjusts her arm. "Is he staying in europe then or will he be popping home again?"

             "Staying. They're not going to want him visiting me in isolation after traveling abroad so much." Sam sighs. "That won't be for a little while, but it'll give him and Cas some time together. I'll have to limit my visitors then as well."

             "That's cool. Krissy and I are going to finish fixing up my station wagon and look around the area for prey."

              "Plus, Babe's going to teach me wards. What I really need is someone to teach me enochian. With angels and stuff being real, that's got to come in handy." Krissy puts the papers down. " I don't suppose your brother in law could hook me up."

             "I don't know. I'll ask him, though most angels aren't inclined to do us any favors." Sam considers, he hasn't had much luck learning it himself. While it is the precursor to all language, it has little in common with any of them. But then maybe some of his siblings might be better teachers. "Are you sure you two are ready to go out hunting, though?"

            "Is anybody?" Is Claire's undeniable reply. "Relax, if we get in trouble, we'll ask for help."

            "If you get in trouble you may not be able to ask for help." Alex points out before Sam can.

           "Not every hunter can have a guardian angel and most of them..." Claire starts to protest.

            "Die horrible deaths at a young age?" Alex retorts, interrupting her.

            "Claire, have you considered hosting an angel?" Sam ventures breifly, though he's fairly sure of her reaction.

           "Hell, no. I am not renting out my body to some overbearing dick again. No, thank you. I can't believe you of all people would suggest that!"

            "Wait, again?" Krissy looks down at her.

             "I told you I don't want to talk about it." Claire mumbles.

             "How do you even know if you're a vessel or not? How do they know?" Krissy looks back at Sam.

              "Its about bloodlines. I think they have records," Sam shakes his head. "It doesn't have to be an unpleasant experience, though."

               "No? Well, I prefer being in control of my body no matter how pleasant the experience. Thanks." Claire forces a smile.

              "I'd do it. I mean, if I got something out if it. And I got to have control of my body at least some of the time. I'd definitely want a say in what they did with it. You know like that old ass movie with Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin, except you know, not as weird."

            "You mean 'All of Me'?" Alex guesses. Krissy just shrugs.

           "How would that not be an

s weird?" Claire argues, giving Krissy a light shove. "And will you get off me? You're heavy."

             "You didn't say that last night." Krissy pinches her cheek, making a mock kissy face, before getting up anyway.

           "I thought you were dating Hel." Sam frowns.

           "We had one date," Claire protests. "One, that we didnt even get to finish."

             "Besides I'm straight." Krissy stretches. "I'm simply very secure in my sexuality."

             "And of course she's apparently a shameless flirt with no sense of boundaries." Claire smacks her butt as she goes to pull over a chair.

         "That's not true. I haven't made any innappropriate statements about donating bone marrow. Though a million have sprung to mind." Krissy winks at Sam who knows better than to even suggest curiosity and look back at his phone to continue his conversation with his brother.

          "Don't sexually harass the cancer patient, that's my job." Babe clomps in the room, take out bags in hand, and smacks Sam a kiss, which he returns.

           "It's not harrassment if it's welcome." Sam grins at her.

           "I brought everyone lunch." Babe passes the bags out. "As a celebration of my inevitable karaoke victory."

           "Wow, mcdonald's. What'd you do? Win the lottery or rob a bank?" Claire teases.

           "Didn't know what you'd like so chicken nuggets." Babe hands one to Krissy.

            "Hey thanks." Krissy takes it. "Guess what, I'm a match."

             "Alright. Just a little sexual harassment then." Babe pats her head. "And no to either. An old freind brought me a few of my old things and I was able to sell them for a decent amount. So financial crisis averted."

              "What old things?" Claire asks the same time Sam ask, "What old freind?" Babe ignores him.

             "Ceremonial jewelry. You know. Not the good stuff, that was stolen ages ago. But there are collectors and such who'll take any crap so long as its authentic." 

             "And what did that cost you?" Claire demands angrily. Babe just shoots her a dark look. "We both know he wasn't just doing you a favor." 

            "What old freind?" Sam repeats a little more firmly. "A new old freind or an old old freind? If you keep getting involved with people from your past the wrong people will find out."

             "It just cost me a meal as a show of gratitide and hospitality. If they weren't my things to begin with, I wouldn't have accepted them. I'm not an idiot, Claire. And Sam, an old, old friend. Again, I'm not an idiot."

              "What kind of old old freind?"

             "The sexy south american kind. Rrrrr." Krissy growls, nudging Babe who snatches back the takeout bag as Krissy takes out a fry. "Aww."

            "Is Quetzalcoatl here?" Sam puts down his phone. "What do you mean you gave him a meal?"

            "I mean, he saved my ass so I gave him a little something to tide him over until he got back to central america."

           "I told you we would take care of the financial issues, Gabrielle." Sam frowns. He called her Gabrielle, she knows she's in trouble now, "What kind if little something? Please tell me you didn't give him a blood sacrifice!"

           "It was just a little one and it was my own damn blood so relax." She walks around to give Alex her triple quarter pounder.

           "Babe, you know blood loss affects your glucose and insulin levels. You can't do things like that." 

            "Well, I'm sorry, but I was fresh out of butterflies and hummingbirds. It's not like I had notice he was going to be here."

            "This is the weirdest lover's spat I have ever heard." Krissy shakes her head. "I'm ridiculously hungry now so I'm going to go get something in the cafeteria. Later."

              "Hold on. Alex, want me to take you to the library? Leave these love birds alone so they can talk?" Claire looks meaningfully at Babe who rolls her eyes. "Privately?" Claire reaches over to snatch Krissy's lunch back from Babe as she sits down by Sam.

        "Sure." Alex grabs he bag and almost runs out the door after them.

        "Why is Quetzalcoatl coming to see you?"

         "Boredom, loneliness, as desperate to get as far from his mother as possible? I dunno. Gods are people too you know. Not neccesarily good people but still. Most of his freinds and family are dead, he has no real followers, no preistesses and he lost his twin brother who was a freind if mine. Xolotl, the psychopomp. I told you about him." She gets comfortable, placing his arm around her as she does so.

         "I thought you were lying about that." Sam confessess.

           "Xolly was a god technically, but honestly a bit of an outcast. Nobody sacrificed to him, just acknowledged his dominions, sickness, deformity, misfortune as unavoidable facts of life. Yet he's gone just the same." Babe sighs and looks down at Sam's hand on her waist placing her own over it. Hers looks like a child's next to his. For a moment she feels young and protected again, safe and loved. Sam gently kisses the top of her head in a way so familiar she wants to cry. "Coa-coa's one of the better ones he really is. Hopefully he'll go the fuck home soon."  The last statement makes Sam laugh, shattering the painful illusion back into a pleasant reality.

          "I thought you said he was one of the better ones."

           "I did. He is. Doesn't mean I have to like that mama's boy that much. It certainly doesn't mean I want to become his damn preistess." She snorts. "But you know, such is life."

          "I wasn't aware that pagan gods associated with mortals, in a non romantic way." Sam comments, irritating Babe to no small degree.

          "Coa-coa is not courting me." She says cooly. 

           "Okay." Sam looks away. "I never suggested he was. Regardless, I really dont like the idea of you spilling blood for him though or making sacrifices or worshipping him. I mean you are aware that the christian-judeo god, the creator of the universe, does actually exist right?" Sam says cautiously. Babe's lips twitch in an almost laughing smile at this.

          "Yes, yes I am. Giving he sent an angel to tell me to fuck off, I am certainly aware." She reminds him, taking out a fry from the bag. He had her send that message to her own damn future self, so if she wants to help sustain a god who actually helped her, daddy can just fucking deal.

           "Did you get a small? You know you're only supposed to have a small." Sam opens the bag, pulling out an extra large.

            "Yes I do know and I also know you keep stealing at least half my fries no matter what size I get, so I supersized." She retorts.

            "Its for your own good." He also takes out the mcdouble thats sitting on top of their salads. 

             "Whoops, how did that get in there?" She gives a guilty smile.

            "Feeling murderous are we?"

            "You try dealing with has been dieties all night, see how jolly you are." Babe retorts. "I hate salad. I want a milk shake and fries and a big mac and a freaking apple.." Sam interrupts her rant with a kiss. "pie..." she finishes when he does. "You being a good kisser does not improve the taste of lettuce."

            "Would it help if I fed you?"

            "Nah, just kiss me until I can't remember my name. Maybe then I'll be brave enough to face that monstrosity." Babe puts the bag on the chair. He happily obliges.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not going to pretend you don't know what all this good news means in terms of story structure. Prepare yourselves for the next two chapters, we are reaching the end of the first arc.


	30. Deep Blue Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Ardras journey down to the Calypso Deep and get in trouble  
> Babe is forced to plead with her son Jormungandr for assistance.

         "This is actually kind of cool." Dean looks out the window as Ardras and his russian freind pilot the three man vehicle down into the depths of the medditerranean. "How far down are we going?"

         "Around 5000 meters." Ardras replies.

         "How far is that in american?" Dean asks, not remembering the opposite of metric. Is there one? 

         "Really fucking far. Now just sit down, look pretty, and don't waste our oxygen with your stupid questions." He snaps. Sounds like someone needs a cigarrette. Dean just sits back and watches the water grow darker and emptier. At least emptier as far as he can see. Soon it just becomes dark and quiet. Only the creaking of the bolts and seams of the ship and the sounds of the equipment can really be heard. It makes him feel uneasy but he just hums to himself to try and keep his mood up. Cas is probably a nervous enough wreck for both of them. No need to make it worse through accidental prayers.

             The plan is to get down there. Find the wine and attach it to a sort of bouy thing that'll raise it to the surface. They were able to estimate its weight based on the others which is good, as apparently you need as much precision dealing with things under the sea as you do with outerspace. If Ardras' freind spoke english or Ardras wasn't such an asshole he'd ask them questions about it, but for now, as the batshit belgian said, he just has to sit down, look pretty and not waste oxygen.

            The last few weeks have been fantastic though. So great he kind of feels a little guilty about in truth. Even if Sam was either laughing or sounded happy in some way whenever they spoke, is it really okay to be so damn blissfully happy when Sam's dying in a hospital? Of course, apparently now that he and Cas are finally a couple, Sam has about eight years worth of withheld teasing to get out of his system, so that helps lessen the guilt.

          Its so odd just sitting there, doing nothing but being some heavenly abjurer keeping the wards on or around the jar from shorting out the sub. It's kind of underwhelming, even if the journey itself is interesting. Of course Cas felt the same way about retrieving vino Caritas.

            He and Rahab decided to go old school, using the direct approach. They just waited until midnight, approached the guards and manifested their wings stating in the appropriate language 'We are angels of the lord on a divine mission. Let us pass and you shall not be harmed.' Followed up with 'Tell no one what you have seen here'. 

            Surprisingly, only one checkpoint failed to just let then pass without incident. But he was just a kid who freaked out and pressed the trigger too hard, so Castiel just took and crushed his gun before Rahab could smite him. Not that they weren't followed, but once they broke open the foundation and entered the tunnels, they were left alone. Rahab went back and repaired the building, filling in some of the ruins so its unlikely they actually reported it to anyone. Who would believe them?

         Dean smiles as he imagines the soldiers drinking fairly heavily the next night, refusing to say why. Though honestly if there aren't any hunters or men of letters in either the palestinian or the israeli armies, he'd be surprised. Hopefully it won't bite them in the ass later. 

        It was fairly amusing to hear them tell it, though. Apparently it had been a very long time since they'd been able to do anything like that, and both had enjoyed it immensely. It was kind of nice to see Cas getting along so well with one of his brothers too. It's really too bad Rahab's attatched to that psycho Ardras.

       There's a bump and Ardras and the Russian snipe at each other a few minutes before turning the external lights on. There isn't much. Some odd white fish on the very bottom, a few swirls in he corner of his eyes that vanish as soon as they catch his attention. There's mostly sediment swirling in front of them and in the distance, half a ship, rotting and falling apart on the bottom of the ocean.

       "Is that it?" Dean asks as the other two chatter. "Where's the wine?"

       "Just sit down and let us do this, lumberjack." Ardras pushes him back out of the way. The ship moves forwards. There's another bump and they argue some more before continuing. Despite his annoyance. Dean can't help but feel that this whole thing is amazing as fuck.

      "Cas, you should see this." He whispers. "Its like a friggin movie. But its so bare and dusty..."

     "Are you aware that you can pray silently?" Ardras comments, "Or are you also one of those people who moves their lips when they read. "

      "Bite me, Dras." Dran narrows his eyes, trying to make a few blurry spots focus but they don't get any clearer. "Have a nicotine patch or something, ir are you worried you'll use them up too fast."

      "I'm more worried about the leviathan."

      "Don't be. Cas and I whupped their asses years ago." Dean comments off handedly.

       "What? Sea monsters you uncultured swine. Not actual biblical... wait... you what?" Ardras looks back at him breifly. Dean just ignore him.

       "There are sea monsters in the Mariana trench?" He asks.

       "I wouldn't know, this is the Hellenic trench." He trails off into something russian with the word american that makes his co pilot laugh. "And yes there are sea monsters. Scylla, charybdis, the kraken, the aiya napa, lotan, Jormungandr." He lists off.

         "I don't think you have to worry about Yuri, his sisters dating Cas' ward."

         "What?"

         "Scylla and charybdis were closer to the shore and the kraken are actually up in norway. Aiya Napa's near cyprus and I kind of think lotan was nothing but a gant squid. Either way he was killed by Ba'al ages ago." Dean leans back against the hull. Ardras refuses to be impressed.

          "Those were examples. Who knows what ungodly creatures are down here. Now be quiet."

          The russian turns to glare at them both and there's a third bump. His expression goes blank, as does Ardras'. A large tentacle wraps intself around the window.

       "Fuck!" Almost instantly, the depths are illuminated with a blinding light and the vessel is rocked and tossed into the ship. It seems like forever until the spots leave his vision and he can see the red emergency lights in the compartment. Ardras slowly picks himself up and checks his freind. The russian's neck is at an angle so wrong that Dean knows he's dead before the belgian curses.

        "Merde." He starts checking dials. "Ah, bordel de merde!" He presses hs face to the glass looking out at the bubbles surrounding them. "Fil de pute. Merceau de merde..." he kicks a seat and clutches at his head with both hands. "We are losing oxygen and something is on top of us playing with the damn bubbles."

         "Seriously?" Dean can't help but go check. Sure enough there's something in the fading brightness, waving it's tentacles through the escaping bubbles as if trying to trap them like fireflies. An absurd thought that its a baby sea monster treating the ship like a new toy flickers through his head. "Okay, so what do we do about cthulu jr up there?" Dean turns back to Ardras who looks beyond panicked.

         "I am not going to die down here!"

         "Dude, chill. Just call Rahab." Dean puts a hand out as Ardras takes a small blade and cuts the Russians throat. 

           "Who do you think that was drawing off the other monsters?" He starts making sigils with the blood and murmering in aramaic.

            "It won't work, Dras. No suernatural magic will around me, remember?" But Ardras completes it anyway to no effect.

           "I see." He says quietly. "Well then." And he strikes at Dean who just barely catches his arm. " Why did I not see? Why did I not think? That golden glow he said you bore must attract them as surely as an angel's grace. You... troublesome american pig!"  He doesn't stop trying to stab him until Dean manages to head butt him and rip the blade away.

          "Will you calm down? Jesus! Cas is still there, he'll save us if you don't kill us first." Its not until, Ardras starts trembling on the floor, that he notices the blood streaming from the belgian's side. "Shit." Dean puts the blade away and kneels down by him, moving the shirt away.  

          It's a hell of a puncture. Like he was stabbed with an ear of corn or more likely rammed into one of the levers or things at the control panel. Dean was lucky to have just hit the flat spaces in his tumbling about the compartment.

          "Rahab, get your angelic butt here now!" Dean calls out. Rahab appears in the vehicle as soon as Ardras stills. 

          "No." He kneels down by the form, an unexpected look of utter heartbreak and loss on his face. He looks up, drawing his sword, as if listening to something. Rahab looks down and away. "Very well, sister." He replies closing his eyes.

         "Ray," Dean says gently, putting a hand on his shoudler. "I'm so sorry."

         "No. I am," Rahab takes a breath and turns, spearing Dean with his blade, pinning him to the side of the vessel. "When it comes down you in oblivion or my Dras in hell, how could I do anything else?" 

          Ardras gives a gasp on the floor, the wound closing in his side.

          "Mon cher." He gets slowly to his feet. Rahab grabs him, holding him close as Dean tries to process what just happened. "Get me out of here." 

          "I'm sorry. Truly" Rahab gives one last apology before retreiving his blade and vanishing with Ardras. 

    

          "What do you mean he won't?" Babe snaps into the cell phone. "Where is he?... what? Why is he sulking in the pacific?... Well, what about triton?"

           "Gabrielle." Hela strides up the hall into the hospital room, hanging up the cell phone. "No one is going to help you help them."

           "But..."

           "You know why." She says softly. "I'm sorry, Sam, but no pagan god will battle a herd of kraken over a winchester."

            "Where are the keys?" Babe turns to Sam who's deep in prayer. "I need something from the trunk of the impala. Don't bother praying, they won't answer you." She snaps. Hel says something in old norse that makes her pause. "This first."

         "In my jeans." Sam looks up. "What are you going to do?"

          "Use my gift card, thats what." Babe goes to the drawers and fishes it out. "Do not let him leave this hospital, Hela. I mean it." She breifly orders her daughter before leaving.

          She goes down to the hospital garage as quickly as she can and opens the trunk of the impala. The sealed plastic envelope is still under the mat and a lighter is next to it. The dried strip of smoky leather with a feathered serpent on it quickly ignites and she holds it until the flames lick her finger tips.

         "You could have just called." Quetzalcoatl appears before her. "I got a phone for the trip. I left you the number, remember?"

         "This isn't a social call. Dean Winchester and some belgian are trapped at the bottom of the Calypso Deep." She informs him. "Surrounded by kraken and my brothers can't hold them off and rescue them at the same time. You have to help save them."

        "I can't. You know I'm not strong enough. Even if I was at my peak, I'm a wind god. You need an earth god or a stronger sea monster. What about your son? Jormungandr? They're terrified of him."

         "We can't get him out of the pacific to ask. He's fighting with Thor again and sulking. I swear you'd think they were lovers. Time is an issue. They've lost half their air and are being used as a rattle for the baby. There has to be something you can do, you're the smartest damn god I know."

            "Alright. I can't fight the kraken or do anything directly, but I can bring you to your son and get him out to speak to you." He slips an arm around her waist, dramatically pulling her to him.

        "Really?" She protests the dramatics and finds herself alone on a rock in the middle of the ocean where a large red headed man with a full but trim beard is yelling norse insults into the water. "You sweet talker you. No wonder the ladies can't resist you."

         "He's a jeal..." the man turns to her and pauses, looking at the small familiar looking woman leaning on her crutch. He frowns and steps back a pace.

         "Brodr." She nods to him with a grin. 

          "Brodr..." he starts then breaks into a broad smile when she wagglrs her eyebrows at him. "You old horse fucker! Is that really you?"

          "Fraid so." She nods. He strides over and scoops her up in a crushing hug. "Easy there, thunderhead. I'm mortal now."

         "What? Please. You expect me to believe..." he stops squeezing as he hears a rib crack

         "Ow." She winces. He grimaces and puts her back down.

        "Shit. Sorry 'bout that. What by odin's beard happened to you?" He goes to place his hands on her shoulders as if to steady her, but decides against it after a second of hovering, and pats her head.

         "I have no fucking clue. I woke up like this not even six months ago. I swear I was dead. He... Thor. I'm sorry. I tried to warn them, I did. Even with our differences, I didn't want your father to die that way. I'm sorry I couldn't save him."

         "I know." Thor sighs, "Neither of them listen very well. It wasn't your fault."

         "I'm sorry I lied to you about who I was."

         "Are you kidding? That's your greatest prank of all!" The norseman laughs, "You, Loki, an angel. A christian judeo whatever angel. How the hell did they make a thing like you their messenger? So what, does that make Yuri part angel too?"

        "No. They're not my children, Thor. I thought you knew that." Babe frowns.

        "What? But who...." Thor frowns.

        "Really, stormchild? He looks just like him." Babe scowls. "At least after the asshole started dying his hair in that whole 'blonde is unmanly' phase humanity went through." Thor frowns and tilts his head. "Baldur you dip! You knew he was sleeping with my mistress. I bitched to you about it all the time." She whacks him with her crutch.

         "Wait. What? Yuri is my nephew?" Thor seems far more upset by this than he really should be. "You mean to tell me I'm screwing my nephew!"

         "You're sleeping with my son?! When the hell did this happen? You... you know what... forget it. It doesn't matter right now. Its not like you have to worry about birth defects."

         "You know, prophecy said we were destined to kill each other, it didn't say how big a death it had to be." Thor points out.

         "Well, if it didn't start before he found out who's son he was, Yuri's in deep shit." Babe rubs her eyes. "Where did Coacoa go off to?" She looks around the small island. As if on cue, a feathered serpent bursts from the water, leaping towards the rocks, an enormous gaping maw with fangs following him shortly after.

         "Yuri!" Babe yells as the smaller serpant shrinks further and slithers up her crutch and into her blouse. "Hey!" She smack him as creeps into her bra.

         "Sss'cold." The shivering snake peeps his head up from her collar.

         "Uggh, Fine." She sighs, letting him nestle against her bosom. "And stop fidgiting, your feathers are tickling me." The god obliges. " Yuri!" The enormous sea serpent runs back, looking down at her. "Yuri, its your father. I need to speak to you." The head dashes down towards her crashing into the form of a young man with blonde hair and his mothers eyes.

       "You are not my father," He says quietly. "Liar, trickster, fraud."

        "Are you seriously blaming me for your mother's indescretions?" Babe brushes a few wet curls from her face. "Look, you can yell at me, villify me, disown me all you like later. My brother's lover is beset by kraken and you're the only one who can save him. He doesn't have that much time. Please, Yuri."

        "Go fuck yourself, angel," he turns away, though he doesn't leave.

         "I'm begging you, Yuri. Please. They just confessed their love to each other and suffered apart so long. They defied destiny and fought the damn darkness together. They locked your father and grandfather's murderer away and stopped the christian-judeo apocalypse. Please don't let their epic end this way." 

       "Didn't they also begin it?" Yuri asks, trying to resist the appeal to his romantic nature. 

       "No." Babe takes a breath and looks over to Thor before putting her crutch down and falling to her knees. "You're their only hope. I'm begging you..." Yuri doesn't say anything but he doesn't leave either. "If you do this, I swear on everything I am that I won't say a single word against or, make a single joke or jest in regards to your relationship with Thor as long as I live and will do my best to make sure no one else does as well." 

         This vow makes Yuri turn around, both tempted by the offer and even more pissed off than he was before. It only takes an almost threatening look from Thor to make him relent. 

         "Fine." Yuri says petulantly. "Where is he? Challenger or Calypso?" 

        "Calypso. He's in a Konsul DSV. There's a shipwreck too, if you could retrieve both vessels..." she doesn't get up.

         "I'm only doing this because its what mom would want, understand?" Yuri glares at both of them. They nod, though they all know full well that Boda couldn't care less about her former lover or his freinds. Yuri steps back into the ocean, giving one last look to Thor. 

         "I need to do some thinking." Thor sighs and whistles, his goats and chariot flying down to the island. "Need a lift?"

          "Yeah, Coa-coa's a bit too chilled to take me anywhere. Thanks."

        


	31. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel reaches Dean  
> Babe gets outed  
> Hel makes her own little confession
> 
> Everyone comforts each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you watch Lazarus rising, when Cas and Dean meet and Dean stabs him with the knife, the look on castiel's face is so compeltely like that of a person who's being attacked by a tuny fuzzy kitten.  
> 'Aw, he stabbed me with his tiny blade. Thats so cute. Who's my little righteous man? You are, yes, you are.'

          He receives Gabrielle's prayer moments after a soft soothing declaration of love from Dean. Castiel relaxes, so far as he's able. His nephew has agreed to help and with hours of oxygen left to spare. He draws back into his vessel, removing his light from the waters and slip into the veil. The kraken following him stop in surprise, as do the collossal squid and megalodon, which he had presumed to be extinct. It takes a moment for him to collect himself. Attempting to travel with six wings is hard enough without trembling near to convulsions. The darkness, the pressure, the amorphous shapes in the distance so similar to that flightless plunge into the leviathan filled sea all those years ago.

         Hopefully, he and Rahab have lured them far enough away for the moment. He moves through the ether a bit clumsily. His original middle pair of wings flap harder and faster than he other four and trying to correct it just sends him spinning half the time or veering off course. But he can see the golden glow of his fathers blessing in the distance, illuminating Dean's soul. 

          It seems to be dimming as he approaches it, shrinking into him. Castiel feels a breif moment of excitenent. Dean found a way to remove it. If they can do so for Sam he can hire Rahab to heal him. Of course the excitement is short lived when he crosses back over several yards outside the vehicle. It and the shipwreck are surrounded by the tentacles of a small kraken who thankfully appears to be asleep. Though his presence makes it lazily reach up and try to grab one last bubble let loose by the cracked air tank of the shifting sub, before curling tighter around it.

          One smaller step in the veil and out again brings him to the far side of the compartment. It's the best he's done so far. He turns around to see Dean slumped on the floor, his hand stuffed into his stomach, his head bowed. There's blood everywhere. The pilots, Ardras'. Deans. A bloody smear against the wall behind him with a hole the shape of an angel blade centering at the top. Ardras is no where to be seen.

           "Dean?" He's immediately by his side, putting a hand to his lover's cheek. There's no response. No breath, no heartbeat, nothing. This can't be possible. No! He didn't say anything. Give any indication he was hurt. Was it too fast? Was the only thing he could think to pray 'I love you'? This can't be happening.

           "Brother." Castiel looks up to see Azrael standing before him. "I'm so sorry." Her voice bleeds with sympathy, feeling hollow despite its sincerity.

           "It was the last wine. We were just about to attempt to retrieve Death from the abyss. Bring him back and we still can." He gets to his feet.

          "I can't." She shakes her head. "He's already been cast into the empty. I told them both, no more second chances."

          "Did you do this?" Castiel draws his blade.

          "No. But unless you want to to join him, I suggest you put that thing away." She snaps. "I received a complaint about an intercepted hellbound soul. I thought I could catch it but it's gone. Again, I am sorry. I understand your loss and it brings me no joy." Azrael steps forwards and kisses the top of his bowed head. "I hold no grudges, little brother. Don't do anything rash. Just return to Sam and enjoy your remaining days with your freind. Make no further attempts to tamper with oblivion. Understand? It's not worth the risk."

         Castiel says nothing, does nothing as his sister fades into the ether. What is there to do or say? There's a jolt as something wakes and frightens the beast outside them into fleeing with a shreik. Castiel catches Dean's body as its thrown by the motion and just holds it tight. Until they're scooped up in the maw of the world snake and alongside the wrecked ship, gently deposited on the egyptian shore.

      

         Babe sits quietly, her face blank, listening as Yuri tells her the news. Dean is dead. And whats more, the wine is nowhere to be found in the wreckage or anywhere in the deep.

        "Babe?" Sam looks at her, his eyes filled with worry. "What's wrong?" Babe's silent for a moment, rebelling against the question. She can't do it. she won't deliver this message. She won't. He's already been hurt enough by her. She can't be the one to deliver this blow as well. She won't. No one can make her.

        But this is something he has to be told. 

         "He was too late." Is what she finally decides to say. He doesn't ask again, he just grabs the phone from her hands, as if he thinks Yuri might say something different. No one ever wants to believe bad news.

         "Hello? Jormungandr? This is Sam... my brother.... I see. Thank you. Is Cas there? Can I speak to him?.... No. No, that's okay. Just tell him... tell him it's not his fault. Tell them to come home." Sam's voice barely trembles. "Thank you." He hand the phone back to Babe but Yuri's already hung up. "And thank you." He leans forwards and kisses her forhead.

         "I should have asked him sooner." Babe just looks at her phone. "Sam, I'm sorry. I..."

          "Its not your fault either." He loiks down at his wrist and starts to remove the hospital bracelets.

          "What are you doing?" Babe frowns at him.

          "Leaving." He gets out of bed and slowly goes to retrieve his clothes from the closet.

          "You can't leave yet, you just got out of isolation. They have to do tests..." Babe keeps her voice calm with great effort, though what she really wants to do is just grab him and shake the suicidal codependancy out of him before he kills himself and everyone around him. Though that didn't exactly work the last time. 

         "I don't need to take them. I'm done." He pulls his jeans on, but they just fall back down. He's lost too mich weight to even have a prayer of wearing them without a belt, much less without the top button. "I was only going through this torture for him. I never wanted..." he stops as he glances back at her, a wary look in his eyes. "Babe, there's a snake in your shirt." 

          "Oh, crap, I forgot about him." She looks down to see Quetzalcoatl pull his head back down into her bra. "Alright, you, time to get out. He got cold luring Yuri out of the ocean." She explains trying to fish him out. "Ow! You little brat!" Sam reaches over as Babe sucks on her bitten finger, grabbing the snake behind the head as it peeks back out to apologize.

        "It's time for you to go." He glares at the snake, who flaps its wings trying to get loose.

         "Sam, release the god." Babe gently pries his hand loose. "I'll let hum loose outside. Don't go, I'll be right back." She slips him into her purse and hurries out of the building.

         "It was an accident. I was about to speak." Coacoa hisses as soon as they're in the stair well. "You put your finger in my mouth."

         "You should probably go home, though. It's not going to be safe to be a pagan god around here for a while." She sets him down on the grass. "I have to go take care of Sam. He does not do well without his brother. Honestly, if you could let everyone know to be on their best behavior, say out of respect for the dead, I'd appreciate it."

          "You can't save him, coyotl."

          "Watch me."

          "Mommy, why is that one legged woman talking to a snake wearing a cape?" A young girl asks passing by on the sidewalk. 

        "She's high, dear. Now hurry along, We're going to be late." The woman doesn't even pause or glance in her direction. She just pulls the kindergardener along with her. Coa-coa snickers.

         "I'll be in touch " he rears up breifly to touch his cheek to hers before slithering off into the shadows. Babe just looks at the bushes a miment, wondering what to do. She'll not only have to keep Sam from doing anything stupidly suicidal, she'll have to keep an eye on Castiel as well. Granted until they locate the abyss, there's not much that can kill him.  He'll be more of a danger to others, mostly to those who deserve it if his history is anything to go by, and really she's fine with that.

        Much to her relief Sam is still there,crumpled over on the side of the hospital bed, untied boots on his feet. 

        "Sam." She puts her arms around his shoulders. "We're not giving up. If we can retrieve death, we can retrieve Dean. Got it? I'll ask Hela to preserve his body in Jotunheim and we'll find an angel willing to ressurect him if Cs can't by then, okay? But you have to keep going. We need you to keep going." She holds on to him trying not to hold too tightly, but afraid to let go all the same. "Okay?" He doesn't say anything. "Okay, Sam?"

        "Okay." He finally speaks, keeping his head buried in her shoulder a moment before letting go and straightening up. "But I'm done with chemo and transplants and hospitals. I'm going home. I'm doing research and while Cas tracks down that wine I will find the abyss and I'm going in after him. Do you understand?"

         "Yes." Babe says truthfully. "I do." Though fuck all of existence if she lets him actually do it and fuck him and his utter lack of self esteem if he really thinks for a second she'd let either him or her baby brother try it. "Alright. I'm going to place my calls and send the nurse in. Sign yourself out the right way. I will back you up, I promise. I'll see if Claire can give us a ride to the bunker."

          "I never should have made that stupid chemo agreement in the first place..." Sam's shoulders start to shake.

         "Don't you fucking dare start blaming yourself for any of this or I swear I will take this crutch and.shove it so far up your ass I knock out a damn filling." She grabs his face, forcing him to look at her. Granted its not long enough for that, but still. 

          "Potatoes." He says with a remarkably straight face, though the safe word makes her mouth twitch. Not the least as he's trying to lighten her mood with a joke, the sweet selfless thing.

          "I mean it. You're brother is a stubborn idiot that no creature could stop from trying to save his little brother, not even a moose. Once ue gets those rare ideas into his head, there's no stopping him. Or you. You're the winchesters, that's all that matters, fuck everything else." 

          It a little while before she can make the call.

 

           "Even if we find what happened to the wine, how do we locate the abyss." Sam asks as Krissy drives them to the bunker. Hel took Claire to be with Castiel, and helped bring Deans body across the bifrost, but she left Krissy her keys.

          "I'll find it." Babe says quietly.

          "How are you going to find it?" Sam is instantly suspicious, tightening his grip around her waist.

          "I have connections."

          "No. You're not contacting them and endangering yourself. I am not losing you too, do you understand me?" Its sad how weak his tightest grip is right now.

          "Sam..."

          "Jesus Christ!" Krissy screetches the car to a halt as there's a man in a road.

          "Damn it, Coacoa." Babe quickly exits the station wagon. "What the hell are you..."

          "Your brother is in trouble, Coyotl."

          "What? How?" Babe asks quietly, moves closer so Sam can't over hear.

          "He's been betrayed. Winchester did not die accidentally."

          "Who killed him?"

           "The mercenaries. I'm looking into more details, but I need energy. I need to be worshipped." He affectionatley taps her nose.

           "I can't Coa-coa. I'm sorry. I'll find another source." 

           "That mortal won't even share you to help save his brother?" Quetzalcoatl raises his voice.

           "I will keep your offer in mind, but no. Thank you anyways." She responds cooly, forcing herself to remain polite. 

            "They killed Dean Winchester. Are you sure you wish to go up against them without god on your side?"

           "If you think they don't have God of gods on their side, you haven't been paying attention. Goodbye, Quetzalcoatl." She turns and walks back to the car.

           "Good bye, Gabriel." He holds the door for her as she gets in the back seat. "Loving the new look, by the way, trickter. It's very you." He smacks her a kiss and closes the door, vanishing before she can reply.

           

            It's odd seeing him frozen in a block of ice. And such a clear one. Its almost like a glass coffin. Claire's not quite sure how to feel. Sure he's dead, but he never stays dead. But he's dead and she has no idea how long it will be. There's that worm of doubt. Can they get him back from the abyss? Or will they just get lost in it themselves? No. Of course they can do it, they always do it. Right?

            Claire looks over to Castiel. He's just staring at it as well. But at the same time he's clearly not seeing it.  Its like he's just lost inside himself. She slowly moves over to him and puts a hand on his shoulder. The wet trenchcoat has frozen stiff now and she can't leave it there for long.

           "Hey." She softly gets his attention. "It'll be okay. I know it will. I mean, you've done some impossible shit before, right? You do it all the time.  This, this is nothing. Not for you. Though when you put his soul back in his body, try to find way to do it mouth to mouth because its super romantic and you'll totally be wasting the glass coffin if you don't." This comment makes Cas give a small smile. "And its a much better story than him stabbing you in your first meeting."

           "Actually, I thought it was cute." Castiel confesses.

          "And that's why you psychos are perfect for each other. It's okay. It'll be okay." She hugs him, ignoring the crunch of frozen fabric. The snow suit Hel gave her is plush enough as it is. The hug lasts long enough for her to start thinking about and missing her father, as staying around castiel too long does. Her father, who had no one to bring him back. Who wasn't important enough to ressurrect, and she has excuse herself to walk back to the bifrost where Hel is waiting before she starts crying in front of him.

           "Where to, mon Claire?" She asks softly. Claire just shrugs, not feeling up to dealing with people yet. "Come, I want you to meet someone." She holds out her hand. Claire takes it and follows her into the halls of Helheim.

           "Hela, where have you been?" A large angry woman, taller than Hel, though not quite as beautiful, demands, turning away from a wolf curled up on an obsidian throne. It huffs a sigh, and Claire would swear it rolls her eyes, "Your brother is making a mess of everything."

          "My apologies, mother. I've been attending to personal business. And Rhys isn't doing so badly. He's practically being responsible." This just gets a dark look from the enormous wolf.

           "He set up trial by combat for small claims civil suits!" Both Claire and Hel desperately try not to laugh at this. "You cannot allow this to continue. This is not the middle ages!"

          "I will resume my throne shortly. Mother, this is Claire Novak, a freind of mine and father's. She has recently suffered a loss. Could you prepare her a relaxing brew?" Hela requests politely. The giantess looks Claire over.

       "She's not big enough to be a freind of your fathers," she sniffs and turns to leave. "Fenrisulfr." She snaps her fingers towards the exit. The wolf sighs and hops down, leaving the room.

          "No. An actual freind, not lovers." Claire corrects her as she belated realizes the implication. She loves Babe dearly, but she'd probably be absolutely exhausting as a lover, and she doesn't mean in bed.

           "Mother was killed a very long time ago and refuses to stay in helheim proper no matter how I try to fix it up. Don't ask about it. She refuses to discuss the incident. This was before the first time my biological father was killed. I didn't know he was until after I'd refused to let him leave. That was mostly because the rest of the aesir were such dicks to Yuri and Rhys. But partly because it was such a stupid death and if father had a hand in it I knew he must have done something to deserve it. 

        "Of course he didnt end up here the second time. Whatever Lucifer did to him and the rest of the gods, they went straight to the abyss. Those idiots. Death is a twisty complicated thing. Sometimes I wish I could give eveyone back their loved ones. Of course, sometimes I wish I could indiscrimitately murder the assholes. Occaisionally the same people in truth."

           "I understand." Claire gives a smile as Hel takes hold of her hands, gently rubbing them as if to take the chill from her finger tips.

           "It's okay to have mixed feelings about all of this, Claire. About them, about death and life. Family can be complicated. Love them, hate them, mourne them. Do as you will. I would simply offer you comfort as you do so." Hel bends over to kiss her cheek but Claire turn her head and takes it with her lips instead.

         "I'm never getting grandchildren am I?" The giantess sighs handing a warm minty smelling brew to Claire. "For warmth, energy, clarity." She informs her. Claire thanks her and tkes it.

          "What about Hati and Skoll?" Hel teases. Her mother just gives her a look.

          "They were two wolf cubs he 'adopted'. Just because he becomes a wolf doesn't mean they're my children. Unless of course he sired them himself, which he insists he did not. I will never consider his pets my grandchildren.  I swear you're as absurd as your father. I wonder about you and Rhys, sometimes, I really do."

          "Hati and Skoll?"

          "Dont worry about them they're constellations now. Chasing the sun and the moon across the sky. Unfortunately they had angered some greek gods and were put down. Rhys was furious had to threaten to eat the entirety of the sheep in europe to get that much. Mediterranean gods are so touchy. If wolves can't tell the difference between their temple and unclaimed territory, its hardly their fault. Father did get even with them, but we don't talk about that."

          "I'll leave you two alone." Hel's mother gives her a kiss on the cheek. "And keep your lovers out of the cold, Hela, would you? Humans are so delicate."

          "Yes, mother." Hel nods. Claire takes a sip of her drink. Her blood warms, her vision sharpens and tastes nice too. She looks over to Hel who's let her hair fall down in front oh the right side of her face. "I must confess something. I'm not... exactly as you see me." She takes a deep breath and lifts her hand. Claire can see some scarring she didn't notice before mottling the back of her hand. When she brushes her hair back, the same rough discoloration covers half her face, her neck, and back deeply into her hair line. Her right ear is just gone.

         "What happened?" Claire asks gently, hers stomach twisting at the thought of what could leave such horrible scars.

        "Yuri. He had a hard time controlling himself and his venom when he was young. We had a fight and siblings do. I was eight and bossy and he was six and tried to intimidate me with size. He accidentally splashed me with two great drops of venom from his fangs. I almost died. Father saved me. I don't remember anything about it except the touch of his hand on my forhead and a feeling not unlike my grandparents' embrace. At first it looked as if it was healed completely, but the skin wharped and my ear fell off and nothing would change this from what it was.

       "Its why I was made goddess of the dead. It was a time when Odin was kind to our father. He made me a queen of the rejects as no man would have me with a face like this. Even while being kind, Anu was a bit of an asshole.  But they are often better people than end up in Valhalla." Hel self conciously puts her hand up to her face. "I can mask it. In a society where beauty equals goodness, I had to. Father taught me how as soon as I was well enough. He also how to alter their mead to make them all impotent as well. I can even mask the feel of it if I need to. But I already deceived you in regards to father.  I can at least give you this truth." Hel doesn't meet her eyes.

          "Its okay about Bree. You were protecting her. I understand." Claire reaches out and gently.places her hand over Hel's. "It doesn't hurt you, does it? If I touch it?"

           "No."

           "Does it cover your entire right side?"

           "No. Just two large irregular circles."  

           "Can I see? I mean, I have a few scars myself, you know, so.. You show me yours, I'll show you."

          "Ladies first," Hel sits on her throne, legs crossed, arms spread wide.

          "You're more of a lady than I am."

          "How dare you, I am a goddess." Hel teases in mock outrage. 

          "You first. I have more to take off." Claire tugs at the strings of her hat.  Hel nods and her robe vanishes in a snap, appearing claire in place of her layers. Sure enough there are two circles on her right side. The top encompassing her shoulder neck and face. The second over her hip and forarm. But in cruel irony the rest of her is perfect.

       "Psssh." Claire dismisses the view, and shimmies out of the dress. "You call those scars? Look at this baby. Appendix, age seven." She points to a white discoloration, stepping forwards so Hel can see it, ignoring the multiple others she's gained from various hunts.

        "Uck, put that away." Hel turns her head away into her elbow, holding her hand out. "Its hideous." She glances back and adjust the position of her left hand to rest on Claire's right breast, before giving it a few quick squeezes through the bra. Claire just laughs and straddles the goddesses lap, kissing her.

        "I think you look just fine,"

 

         

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The boot-stealer is a dick. He knew what he was doing, but don't worry, he gets what's coming to him in Devil Pray. Unfortunately he causes even more trouble first.


	32. Fallen Angels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the betrayals.  
> Gabriel has to face Sam  
> Rahab has to face Castiel  
> Neither goes well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Krissy. That's all I have to say.

 

        "What did he just call you?" Krissy looks back to see a stunned look on both Sam and Babe's faces. "Bree? Sam? Hello..."

         "That little bitch." Babe mutters finally and looks over to Sam a bit warily. His stunned almost blank expression is changing to an angry one. "Sam? Sampai? Sampita? Samshine? N'samja? Samcake? Massam?"

         "Gabriel." He says cooly, not looking at her.

         "Gabrielle." She corrects him. " Everyone pronounces it wrong. Some vowels as Castiel. Castiel, Gabriel. Not that I'd have admitted that to Dean when I was in a boy. I didnt feel up to the gender jokes, honestly. And they do 'call' me Gabriel, they're all just, you know, saying it wrong." She smiles the small guilty smile that shows her dimples, but he's not looking at her so its not exactly effective. 

        "Ohhh fuuck." Krissy covers her mouth, turning back around and shrinking down in the seat. Should she start driving? No. She has a hard enough time with a stick shift as it is.

         "So what? This nightmare is just another joke? Another trick? Another lesson?" Sam still won't look at her.

         "No. Of course not." 

         "Is any of this real? Was any of it?" Not quite the response, she expected from him but it makes sense.

         "I... I understand your reaction." Babe says slowly, "But I'm human at the moment. Completely utterly powerlessly gracelessly human." 

           "And I'm supposed to just... believe you? Who are you in? Who's in there with you? Who's sanctity did you trick me into violating?" Krissy's eyes widen, oh crap. She didn't even think about the implications of sex with a vessel and consent issues. Wether the owner was aware and agreeable or not if their partner didn't know about the third wheel, someone was having sex with someone they didn't consent to. If Dean wasn't dead he would fucking kill that woman!

          "No one!" Babe sounds as horrified as she feels, making Krissy feel incredibly relieved. "Even as Loki it was my own solitary vessel. I prefer my audiences on the outiside, thank you. I don't know how to explain this. I don't know how this happened or why. I just woke and I saw you and..."

         "And what? Decided to ruthlessly fuck with me for old times sake?"

         "No!" 

         "Then why wouldn't you say anything? Why didn't you tell me who you were?"

         "Because I was scared, okay? I didn't know what was going on, who to trust, what to do, where to go and I was powerless and completely out of my depth, you don't even know. You and your brother were at least familiar and safe and being near you, it feels like home." The words make Krissy melt a little, but not Sam, the cold hearted bastard.

        "So you think we would have what?  Rejected you? Abandoned you? Sent you to the pagans? What?" Sam sounds offended, and in Krissy's opinion rightly so. They would never desert someone in need. She should have known that.

        "I don't know, but you sure as hell wouldn't have welcomed me with open arms!" Krissy has to agree with that as well. Murdering someone repeatedly would tend to make them and their loved ones less than eager for your presence.

        "Yes, I absolutely fucking would have." Okay, who's kidding who? 

        "Right because you're just so thrilled to find out that I'm really alive right now." Krissy peeks in the rearview mirror, they're both as far away from each other as they can get in the back seat of a station wagon. 

        "You've been lying to me, toying with me for months!"

        "I've been trying to help you, Sam. That's all. And when would have been a good time to tell you, huh? With everything that was going on, with you so sick and physically vulnerable..."

       "I don't know how about when I fucking straight out asked you for the goddamn truth about your past. Or failing that just about any time before we slept together!" 

       "I tried to be good! I did. I tried to stop it from going so far. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I tried to leave, but you had to come after me and spout such beautiful bullshit. You said you didn't care about my past, what you did or didn't know. Do you remember that? Do you?"

       "Don't give me that. Your past wasnt something that happened far away to strangers. Your past was murdering my brother and torturing me over and over and yes, that would abso-fucking-lutely make a difference as to wether or not I would have had sex with you and you damn well know it!" 

       "Sam, I'm sorry." 

       "Fuck you and your 'sorry'. You made me spend my dying days falling in love with a woman who doesn't exist." Jesus, now Krissy wants to hurt her, and hug her and smack them both a little honestly. "You screwed with my heart and I will never forgive you for that."

       "That's not true, Sam.  This whole thing this whole time, I've been... myself in a way I haven't been able to be in such a long time. I was more honest with you then I have been with almost anyone. I told you things I thought I'd never get to talk about. It was all the truth, all of it, just... tweaked a little. You know, the names have been changed to protect the guilty sort of thing."

       "Those stories, about you and Miqa and Desi and Rafi. Desi was Lucifer wasn't he?" Babe doesn't say anything driving Krissy insane with curiosity. "You absolute asshole."

       "I didn't mean to hurt you, and I wasn't trying to... to trick you into  loving me or sleeping with me, but I love you and I'm human and weak and can't control any of these feelings which are so much more volitile and intense now and I just got caught up in the he...ah." Babe catches herself short, but it's too late. Whatever the significance of the phrase she was about to say, it hardens Sam's expression like he was exposed to the face of medusa herelf.

       "Get out."He says quietly. "Get out of this car, and get out of my life. Just... go..."

       "Sam..."

       "Get the fuck away from me!"

        "We're not leaving a diabetic amputee on the side of the road." Krissy has to speak up as Babe tries and fails to unlock the car door. Maybe the child safety is on. Wait no, the car doesn't have a child safety latch. "I don't care who she is or what she did, we're not doing that. Babe, just come up front. We'll figure something out at the next town."

        "Okay" Babe gives up on the door and just climbs into the front seat. Sam doesn't say another word. He just looks out the window his face stern bleak and somehow every bit as heartbroken as Babe's. Krissy turns the key and the car won't start.

      "Shit."

 

KRISSY: Okay, so i guess you don't get cell phone service in yotun-whatever. But as soon as you get it call me. The shit has hit the fan!

KRISSY: Did you know Bree was Gabriel? Like the archangel Gabriel? Because Sam and I sure as fuck did not.

KRISSY: For a divine messenger she sure as hell sucks at communication.

KRISSY: Fuck Sam is pissed. I think they just broke up. 

KRISSY: And now the car is broken. Your mechanical skills are shit, you know that? So now I'm stuck on the back roads of Kansas in a shitty station wagon with a couple that just broke up waiting for a tow truck. 

KRISSY: All our next fake identities will have AAA from now on, do you hear me?

KRISSY: okay. Somehow they've started conversing via ipod. Does bree have a thing for Madonna or something? Though, 'I fucked up' is certainly accurate. Please let him forgive her. I don't think I can stand the tension much longer.

KRISSY: Nope he's not having it. Clip of ceelo green for the rebuttal.

KRISSY: So looking back at the Bible and knowing what I do about angels now and Bree, I have to ask; when Gabriel greeted the virgin mary with Hail Mary Full of Grace, was that dirty joke or what? I'm afraid to ask, but plausible? Your thoughts?

KRISSY: Oh shit he broke out the  Taylor Swift. Shit is getting real.

KRISSY: she put on I Hate You by sick puppies. Does he know that's just an angry love song she's playing him? Should I point it out? I don't want to get involved. 

KRISSY: They've started fighting again and I'm feeling very uncomfortable right now. I'd get out of the car, but I'm fairly sure my presence is all thats keeping it from physical violence.

KRISSY: Why did I respond to your ad? Why do you have to have a pos wagon? I have never been so stressed out in all my life. This is all your fault. 

KRISSY: SHIT the doors wont unlock! WTF! What did you do to the automatic locking mechanism? I told you not to screw with it.

KRISSY:New rule for our partnership, you do not touch anything mechanical ever again. I dont care if we're broke and the only alternative is whoring myself out to the creepy gas station attendee and his grandmother, you do not touch anything. You are not handy and being adopted by Dean Winchester does not give you any sort of racial bonus.

KRISSY: I'm sorry. I know you were close. Are you okay? You know we'll get him back. Those two have more lives than a thousand cats. 

 KRISSY:  okay now that was a little harsh from Bree. That 'I already punched the ticket, why shouldn't I have enjoyed the ride.' was a little uncalled for and kind of bitchy.

KRISSY: I mean, not every woman Sam's slept with has died, right?  Right? Holy fuck. If that's true that makes it so much worse that she went there.

KRISSY: Of course that also implies she died for him and not 'humanity'. I have got to reread Hammer of the Gods.

KRISSY: Fuck! She just reached back and slapped the fuck out of him. But honestly, I've got to say if you called me 'Lucifer's apprentice' I'd probably smack you too. Especially in this crowd.

KRISSY: Wait, didn't Lucifer KILL her? Good Lord Sam's a bitch!

KRISSY: Get your girlfreind down here to pick up her father... mother... whatever the hell she is... parent. 

KRISSY: Jesus Christ! No wonder everybody tries to kill her. Could you imagine pissing her off when she had her powers?

KRISSY: actually that explains the tv land thing.

KRISSY: I'm too young to die! Getting caught in the crossfire between an archangel and a winchester is not how I want to go. 

KRISSY: Hell of an epic tombstone though. When I die for the last time I want you to put on there that I survived this. If I survive this.

KRISSY: oh, save me jebus!

KRISSY: Never mind about Hel. Bree broke a window and climbed out to hitchhike to town.

KRISSY: Castiel and Sam get along right? If you could get him back here, Sams kind of an extra special double, maybe triple mess right now.

KRISSY: Claire. We got to the bunker. (Tow truck guys rock) and Sam's just locked himself in his room playing Heat of the Moment by Asia on an endless loop and I dont know what that means but I'm kind of freaking out and I dont know what to do.

KRISSY: I really wish I had some help right now. I called Garth and Alex but they're hours away. I'm afraid he'll die in there or kill himself or something. But at the same time I'm afraid to try and break the door down because he's a wincester and the music is super loud and I might get shot or stabbed or something before he knows its me.

KRISSY: This is where having an angel would come in handy. Super strength, the ability not to die at the drop of a bullet. Instantaneous transportation. 

KRISSY:Dammit Claire! WTF IS GOING ON? Where are you and why won't you answer me?

KRISSY: Are you okay? You better be either dying or getting laid or I will be so mad. If buddy cop movies are anything to go by its got to be one of the two. Please get back to me.

KRISSY: I swear if you don't get back to me soon i'm going to start praying. I don't care if I have to worship a cocoa bean, host an angel, what. Im uber stressed have nothing to kill and I cannot deal with this alone!

KRISSY: oh heavenly host, angels of mercy,love,  hope, healing, psychotherapy or friggin libraries, I dont care just so long as you answer me, I beseech thee. if I am a vessel you can take me just please come and save me from this hellish nightmare of the interpersonal relationships of casual acquaintences and distant strangers.

CLAIRE: Sorry. Phone died.

KRISSY: Fuck you, Novak I was worried sick. Buy a damn portable battery/charger.

CLAIRE: Sorry, 'mom', but a good freind of mine just DIED and I couldn't pay attention to the battery on my damn phone.

CLAIRE: And I did actually have some fairly hot sex with Hel on her throne so that kind of distracted me as well.

KRISSY:  Pics or it didn't happen.

CLAIRE: I dont think so. Hold on, though, Hel has to stop a gladitorial ring for noise complaints and we'll be on our way. Where's Bree?

KRISSY: Did you not read my texts?

CLAIRE: You sent me a thousand. Hold on.

CLAIRE: I am so a good mechanic, you cunt! Maybe if you learned how to shift gears....

CLAIRE: Ohhhh shit. Okay. 

CLAIRE: Fuck! We'll never find her now. Why did you let her out of the car? 

KRISSY: Gee, I dunno because she's a grown woman and one desperate enough to escape by crawling through broken glass.  I don't want my tombstone to read 'accidentally impaled on crutch by former archangel current diabetic amputee', either.

KRISSY: So hey, guess what apparently there is an angel of libraries.

CLAIRE: I'm not surprised. They probably have patron angels of the oboe.

KRISSY: He says no, they dont patron individual instruments. There was a patron angel of wood winds, but he died in the fall.

CLAIRE: ??? What? There's an angel there? No! Do not trust them. They're all dicks. Do not say yes to ANYTHING. We'll be right there.

KRISSY: says the woman who just rode the face of a pagan goddess of death on the throne of Hell. 

 CLAIRE: Its goddess of the dead, not of death. There's a big difference. And it's the throne of Helheim. Hel one 'l' is her nickname short for Hela. And like a mare in heat ;D apparently she's a goddess of le petit mort as well.

CLAIRE:  We're at the door. There are were-wolves here. Please explain.

KRISSY: Thats prob Garth and his wife. It's fine. We'll explain later.

 

     The question just keeps repeating itself in his mind. Where is Ardras? Where are he and Rahab now. Did they take the wine or did something else happen to it? Who made the complaint or was it just a lie? Why would Azrael lie? She can kill anything with a touch.  Is Crowley still king of Hell or was he humiliated too thoroughly to retain any respect or credibility as a competant leader.

        Who killed Dean? Was it Rahab? Why would it be? Was it Ardras? Another angel? Where are Ardras and Rahab? And if they killed him, what is he going to do about it? It suddenly seems the most important question in the world. A text beeps on his phone from Ardras'.

        'Our condolences for that unfortunate event, Castiel. There were extenuating circumstances. Meet us at this warehouse in Carcassonne and we will exchange the wine for the promised feathers for services rendered and transport it free of charge. '

        Obviously there will be some kind of trap. Likely involving holy fire. He does need the wine, but it won't do to go unprepared. After a quick stop at home depot, Castiel takes himself to the city of Carcassonne France. It hasn't changed much. At least not compared to most places. It makes sense Rahab and Ardras would prefer it, its the closest they can get to reliving the time in which they met. 

         It was an exciting, loving relationship at first, or so Rahab had said. It was destroyed by the recklessness of a man in love, needlessly selling his soul to try to protect his heart. He thought Rahab's commitment to the host meant he just didnt think such a fleeting passion withva withering mortal shell was worth it, when really he was fighting to save his lover by saving humanity as a whole from Lucifer and his forces. To have the man he adored throw away his immortal soul just in the hopes of being with him, shook the foundation of everything he believed and held dear. Nothing became more important to him than keeping Ardras from his self assigned fate. Nothing.

         As expected, when he enters the large almost empty warehouse, they light a ring of holy fire. A moderately roomy one. He can't spread his wings but he could sit down. 

          "Forgive our precautions." Ardras leans lazily against the large jar of wine, prominently displayed. "But given the circumstances, I'm sure you can understand." Rahab is standing silently behind the man, not meeting Castiel's eyes. Castiel doesn't say a word, he just stares at them. "It's not as bad as it seems. You can retrieve him, yes? And Rahab will of course help resurrect him if you're still having difficulty with healing. Its just an inconvenience. Not like being trapped in hell, eh? You simply need the wine. So, if you'll give us the feathers, we'll drop off the wine, make ourselves scarce and stay alive until you need us again. Sound good?" Ardras takes out a cigarrette, his shaking hands belie the casualness of his words but do nothing to mollify the anger building up inside Castiel.

       "Why?" Castiel demands. Just one word, but his glare is so dark, his voice so harsh that Ardras doesn't have the courage to pretend he doesn't know what he's being asked.

        "I was injured. We were loosing air. I panicked. That's all, I would take it back if I could but I can't. C'est la vie." He shrugs. "Well, c'est la mort."

         "It wasn't Ardras," Rahab refuses to let Ardras take the fall in the faint hope that castiel would be less likely to violently murder a human being.  "My love died as I arrived. The reaper offered a trade. My Dras, returned and healed, for your Dean. You're strong enough to pull your lover from hell, to invade the empty even. I am not. I know I am not. I never was.  I am sorry."

       "Just a reaper? Not Azrael?" Castiel asks putting his hands in his trench coat pocket.

       "Of course not." Rahab seems surprised at the suggestion. "She is not the only one who hated him for what he did. But she only fucks you up with the rules, not outside them. I am so sorry, brother. Can you ever forgive me?" He pleads. Castiel is unmoved.

       "I need the wine." Castiel takes out a small bag of archangel feathers. Not his own. He raided the archangel's quarters, which he now has access to, and took some of Raphael's catche and tosses the bag to Ardras.

        "Alright." The belgian checks the bag. "We've hired a boy to come let you out an hour after we give the word. If he proves unreliable, it should rain shortly and the roof leaks."Ardras turns to bring the feathers to Rahab to double check, as he never pictured Castiel as having green mossy feathers. Castiel removes the other hand and a small aerosol can from his pocket and sprays the holy fire with foam until there's a large enough break to step through. 

          "What the hell?" Ardras turns just in time for Castiel to grab him by the throat and hurl him across the room. Rahab draws his sword but Castiel quickly grabs the now useless blade, disarming him. 

         "I would have helped you save him. Brother." Castiel keeps tight old of the terrified angel's arm. "I would have done whatever it took to save the man you loved so deeply from his fate had you not taken mine from me instead. But not now." Castiel twists them both into the either and slices through half the feathers on Rahabs left wing, severing the very tip before letting him go. 

         When Castiel carries the wine out to the shore line. He can hear the hellhounds begin to bay followed by Ardras cursing him in his prayers and an echo of his own untolerable pain and loss from his traitorous brother. Castiel walks into the ocean depth, carrying the jar of wine. It waters hold no fear for him now; there's nothing more worse that can be done to him.

        

       

        

         

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fire gone mini extinguisher in an aerosol can is actually a real friggin thing. I looked up trying to see if there were small fire extingushers and lo and behold. Perfect for the angel with literally deep pockets and no time for holy fire. But dont take my word for it...https://www.bigrocksupply.com/store/p/7166-Fire-Gone-Compact-Fire-Extinguisher


	33. Picking Up The Peices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Broken Sam gets some mothering.  
> Krissy courts an angel  
> Hel and Sam make a deal

      When Castiel places the final jar of wine in the bunker garage and enters the main hall.  It is unexpectedly full of people  Four humans, three werewolves, two norse gods, and an angel to be exact. Well, now two angels.

      Krissy and Claire are setting the table, Sherrif Mills is in the kitchen, Alex is sitting curled up in one of the chairs in the library with Fenrysulfr in wolf form curled up in the chair next to her. He's just pretending to sleep, ignoring two of the three werewolves who keep staring at him in nervous awe. The gawky looking werewolf is talking to Hel about the Winchesters, and Harahel is being soothed by his vessel as apparently he didn't realize there were going to be so many strange creatures around when he answered Krissy's prayer.

         Castiel's breif curiosity about this is snuffed out when everyone stops and gives him sympathetic looks.

         "Castiel, I'm glad you're here." Sherrif Mills greets him with a gentle hug. "Maybe you can get Sam to eat, or leave his room. Or at least unlock the door."

          "I will do my best."  He nods but just looks at the plate of bland foods handed to him for a moment.

          "Did you find the wine?" Claire asks gently.

          "Yes."

          "Did you find someone to help bring it back yet? Harahel could probably help."

          "Yes, sir." The angel nods.

          "I encountered yuri on the way home. He assisted me in bringing it the rest of the way. It's in the garage with the others."

            Castiel takes the plate and walks down the hall towards Sam's room. Everyone stays silent as he passes. The silence is painful but no words would be of use. Though he is surprised that Gabrielle has been unable to get Sam to eat. 

           "Sam?" He knocks on the door. "It's Castiel." There's no reply, but the warm glow of gods grace shows just he's still alive. Still he feels concerned enough by the silence to set the plate down and attempt to apport himself inside. He manages to enter the space, but his arm gets caught in the closet door and he has to break it to remove it.

           Sam is just lying on his bed, staring at the wall, the photo album held tightly to his chest. He doesn't even acknowledge Cas' presence. Castiel unlocks the door and retreives the food.

         "Sherrif Mills prepared some food." He places it down on the nightstand. "Dean's body is being preserved in ice in jotunheim. When I retrieve him and Death from the empty, we will be able to ressurrect him easily." Though he seems unable to convey an optimism he doesn't feel. Sam still doesn't say anything or even acknowledge what he said in any way.  Castiel places his hand on Sam's arm, He looks a little chilly, so Cas just removes and drapes his trenchcoat over him. "Where's Gabrielle?"

         "I don't know where Gabriel is, and I dont care." Sam finally speaks. Castiel pauses as he says it.

          "She told you?" The angel asks quietly.

          "Not exactly. You knew?" Sams eyes grow hard.

          "Yes." Castiel sits on the side of the bed, his hands folded in his lap.

          "And you didn't tell me. Did you tell anyone? Did you tell Dean? Is that why he changed his opinion like.that?"

         "No. He didn't know. I don't even think Gabriel knew that I knew. Did something happen? Did she do something?"

         "How long?" Sam demands. Cas doesn'r answer. "How long did you know, Castiel?"

          "From the moment I saw her in the park." He confesses. "She was human, crippled, damaged, stripped of everything the least angelic, but I know my brethren. I knew her. I pretended not to because she seemed so afraid and disoriented, I didn't want her to run. I don't think you understand how the changes in me look to the other angels. Its obvious who's grace I absorbed in my promotion. So, I decided to let her come to me. Which she never did." Castiel sighs, shaking his head. In truth he did exploit it a little, having a bit of fun at her expense such as when he was introduced to Hel. But that was almost impossible to resist.

       "How could... how could you have kept this from me? How could have let him deceive me like that? I thought we were freinds."

        "She didn't mean you any harm. All she wished to do was help you, Sam. It was obvious she truly cared about you and your wellbeing. She made you genuinely happy and her efforts helped keep you healthy and sane. Her assistance in retreiving the wine has been immensely valuable as well. If I thought her intentions and actions were anything but benevolent, even for a moment, I would have said something. If I was wrong, if she's done something..."

          "So, you thought that letting  her lie to me, manipulate me and toy with my emotions was okay." 

          "She wasn't..." Castiel frowns

          "Just leave me alone." Sam shoves the trench coat onto the floor. Castiel's not sure what he should say, just that he should say something.

         "Pst." Castiel turns his head to the doorway to see Krissy beckon him over. He picks up his trenchcoat and follows her out into the hall pausing to break the locking mechanism on the handle. "I'm guessing you're as behind on things as I was."she whispers, "C'mon."

          

         "Hey, Jody knocks on the door a few minutes later. "Can I come in?"

         "Why not?" Is the blank reply. She sees the uneaten food beside him.

         "Do you want something else to eat? Chicken soup maybe? I'm not sure what you can stomach so I kept it simple." She nods to the plate of toast, applesauce and rice.

        "I'm just not hungry. But thank you anyways." Sam sets the photo album aside as the corners are starting to jab into him. 

         "Done with your wig I see." Jody picks it up out of the wastebasket and dusts it off. He just glances at it breifly and doesnt say anything. "Talk to me, Sam." She sits on the side of the bed, wig in hand. "C'mon." She nudges him gently, "Let it out."

         "There's nothing to say,"

         "Sure there is. How you feel for starters. Emotionally. Physically." She starts absent mindedly rubbing his back like she does when Alex is upset. "You got screwed. In just so many ways. You've got to feel some kind of way about that." 

         "Yeah, some kind of way."he gives a humorless grin. 

         "Well?" Jody prods. "If it helps you can begin the sentance with 'I feel'. I feel tired. I feel angry. I feel hungry."

         "All of the above?" Sam sighs. "I feel... confused."

         "Oh?" 

         "Dean is dead, his soul tossed in the empty. Babe is Gabriel and Castiel knew it. They've both been lying to me from the very beginning. I loved her and none of it is real. And I can't help wonder, is any of this real? I was always able to figure it out before, but now... I just can't seem to think."

        "I hear chemotherapy can do that to you. But I'm real. Castiel is real. Alex and Claire are real. So is Krissy. The goddess and wolves in your living room are real, odd but real. And so are you." She says gently. "What's also real is that you're sick, and tired and weak and recovering from a very invasive procedure. And you've had your heart broken and lost your brother. The thought of all of it not being real is probably more appealing than you'd like to admit." 

         "Maybe a little." Sam admits after a minute.

         "Anyways right now you need to give yourself a break. Let that big brilliant brain of yours recover a bit before you start trying to make it do all that heavy lifting. And don't think for a second that you have to push yourself. You're not alone, Sam. I'm here for you, we all are. And we're not going anywhere.

       "Now, as this bunker is freezing and the last thing you need is to catch cold, I am going to tuck you in under these covers and go make you some chicken soup and tea. No arguments."

       "Okay." Sam says after a moment and moves to get under the covers, letting Jody pull them up over his shoulders. 

       "It'll be okay, Sam." She kisses his forhead. "I promise."

 

        In truth, Sam has no idea how long he stays in bed after that, only getting up to go to the bathroom, and shower, drinking alot of tea and eating alot of various chicken noodle soups. Alex and Claire come in occaisionally, and ask how he's doing, or just watching a movie with him on a laptop.

         Garth offered to try and make him a werewolf. He seemed to have faith that Sam could handle it. But even if Sam shared that belief, or was even remotely willing its not likely it would have worked. Him and his wife and father in law get very sick fairly quickly just being close to either Sam or Castiel and had to leave.

          Upon learning from Hel that she was that Hel and her brother that Fenrisulfr, and whats more that he utterly rejected every aspect of Ragnarok, the reverend issued him an invitation to their farm and implored him to speak against the cult that had formed in his name.

         He was less than cooperative however and pretended to be nothing but a mute oversized wolf the entire time. According to Claire the man would prefer ragnarok to responsibility provided he didn't have to do anything about it either way. He ended up leaving when Hel yelled at him for continually interupting Alex' studies to get a belly rub or put his head in her lap and demand attention. Likely because she was so engrossed in them, she wouldn't even notice and just pet him out of instict. 

        Apparently a man named Saul has strongarmed an angelic librarian into doing Sam's research and he's fairly good at it. Especially since he has access to heavens library whenever the bunker doesnt have a particular referenced item. It seems Krissy, in severe emotional distress had sent up a facetious prayer for aid, and the angel out of the pure novelty of being prayed to, albeit inadvertantly, came to see if he could help. He was not expecting to get entanged with another winchester.

      Given this is the same timid librarian Dean scared the grace out of weeks ago, Sam actually feels kind of sorry for him. But thinking of it reminds him that even that random angel saw Dean more recently than Sam did.  He hasn't even seen his body yet. Part of him doesn't want to. Seeing his brothers body would make it feel too real. But the other part wants to for the same reason.

        When he walks out to the main hall, he can see Krissy and Claire, standing by the kitchen, drinking beer, and watching the angel taking notes. Are they old enough to drink beer legally? Even asking himself the question makes him feel oddly old. 

      "I'm gonna do it." Krissy says, her face serious with determination.

      "No, you're not." Claire shakes her head. The look on Krissy's face shows that 'doing it' is now set in stone.

        "I'm gonna do it." She takes a sip and walks over to the busy angel, leaning on a stack of books that start to slip before the angel puts a hand out to steady it, "Hey, baby," she gives a flirty nod when he gives her a mildly annoyed glance. "I like your sine. Can I have your frequency?" She gives him a  wink and broad open mouth smile. The angel looks breifly astonished then laughs his head off. "C'mon angel cakes. Ditch this loser, take me out for a spin."

         "If your not a vessel you will explode." The angel grins, clearly not saying this for the first time. "Into death."

         "Cool." Krissy nods.

         "No. Not cool." The angel returns to his books.

          "Soooo am I not a vessel? Or do you just not know?" Krissy wheedles.

          "I'd need your names, your parents names and your grandparents names to check the records."

          "And if I am?"

          "I'll think about it."

          "C'mon. Its a great body. Nice firm abs, I can run fairly fast when chased by deadly things, fast enough not to get caught, at least, which is of course the important thing. I don't smoke or anything so there's less damage to repair before moving in. My hair, its naturally curly with this adorable little angelic curls. And breasts are just so much more manageable than testicles. You won't have to constantly be rearranging things when you sit down or stand up."

          "Jesus Christ, Krissy!" Claire covers her face while Sam just tries not to laugh.

          "Trousers are remarkably invonvenient. I don't know why men stopped wearing robes."The angel confesses.

         "And since I'm a girl, you can wear dresses or pants or pretty much anything and its fine. You can wear make up, hats, jewelry. I could be your own personal barbie girl. Life in plastic, its fantastic."  The angel actually looks tempted by this. "Just... temporary tattoos only, unless they're like protective. And nothing sexual without my explicit permission."

          "Of course not!" Harahel looks shocked. Then turns red, likely at something his vessel says to him. "Why do you want to be a vessel so badly?" He asks.

           "Curiosity. Plus I want to learn enochian."

            "Oh. Well, I can teach you enochian I suppose. I think." He frowns looking down. "Excuse me, someone needs me up in the library."

          "What's wrong with you?" Claire shakes her head at the hunter, who shrugs and goes to take another sip, but sees Sam and stops.

          "Hey, there." She grins, "How you feeling?"

           "Alive." 

          "Always a good thing." Krissy takes that sip after all. "Hara's almost got the ritual sussed out."

          "Hara?"

          "The angel. Hara.... something. The librarian." 

           "Harahel." Claire states." He'll never use you if you can't even bother to learn his name."

           "Claire?"Sam sits down in the nearest chair, feeling suddenly exhausted. "Can I talk to you?"

           "Yes?" She sits next to him,

           "You're still freindly with Hela?"

           "And how." Krissy speaks before Claire can reply.

          "Yeah." He shoots her partner a glare. Whats up?" 

          "I want to see my brother." You could hear a pin drop in the room. "I need to."

          "Okay. I'll give her a call." Claire gets up and takes out her phone, quickly leaving the room.

          "Um, How are you feeling?"

          "You already asked me that." Sam reminds her gently. "So, Harahels playing hard to get, huh?"

         "Nah, his vessels just a wee bit over protective thats all. He usually keeps interrupting and interrogatting me like a dad with a shot gun."

          "Maybe its him you should be talking to then."

          "Yeah, no. I don't think so. Harahel is a grown ancient being perfectly capable of making his own decisions. So...."

           "So...."

           "So...." Krissy looks uncomfortably around, "How you feelin?"

           "You know, you don't have to make small talk just because I've left my room. It's okay." He reassures her. "I'm okay."

            "Right. Sorry."

            "I am sorry about that whole thing in the car, though. That must have been a bit.... uncomfortable." he apologizes. 

           "Yeah, no, it happens.  Stuff happens. As long as you're okay. You are okay, right?" She looks over to him. "Never mind."

          "Alright." Claire sighs, coming back to the room. "She'll meet you outside in five."

          "Thank you."

          "You want me to come too? Or, you know, I could call Castiel." Claire offers gently. 

        "No. That's alright. I'll be fine."

        "Liar." Krissy calls him out. He gives her an irritated look. "You're going to view your brother's corpse. If you're not lying, you're a heartless psychopath. And you aren't. I should know. I'm inside you." 

          "And exactly how long have you been waiting to say that?" Claire demands as Sam just covers his eyes.

         "Since I got the test results. It's hard finding an opportunity that wouldn't sound sexual." 

          "Uh-huh."

          "Really, girls. I'll be okay." Sam reassures the girls and goes to get a jacket.

 

      Somehow it still doesn't look real. Sam just stands there, staring at the frozen body until he starts to feel numb himself.

       "You should come back inside." Hela says gently. "Your immune system is still weak and if you catch cold and die, you can't rescue your brother." Sam gives a slow nod and follows her back across the bifrost and into her great hall.

        "Thank you for doing this." Sam sits down at the bench by the filled banquet table when Hel gestures to it. 

        "I'm afraid I'm not doing it for your thanks." She sits down next to him, "I'm not doing it for my fathers sake either, or Claire's as fond of her as I am. Its taking quite a bit of energy safeguarding his body. The truth is there's something I want." Though the statement makes him instantly wary, its oddly calming as well. A return to the status quo of nothing going right and no free rides.

          "What?" 

          "Not much. Just a token, merely a trifle."She shrugs "Especialy given what I'm offering which is not only to continue to guard and protect your brother's corpse until such time as he can be returned to it, however long it may be, but to offer my utmost assistance in the endeavor."

         "I still haven't heard a price."

         "I want your soul."

         "For?" The fact that he doesn't instantly refuse strikes her as somewhat sad.

          "Status." She forces a smile. "We underworld dieties have a little competition as to who has the best, most valuable souls in residence. Obviously helheim, having few heroes and warriors and even less new additions hasn't been a viable contender in millenia. Securing a Winchester would make me a legend. It would certainly shut up that damn roman pup for once."

         "I'm kind of using my soul at the moment. And trust me, its better for everyone if I keep it." Sam informs her, Hel just rolls her eyes.

        "Not now. When you die. Which wont be too long of a wait in truth," She says gently patting his leg.

          "The reapers will be throwing my soul into the empty when I die. No ifs and or buts." His honesty is a little heart warming.

           "No, they won't. I have my own harvesters of the dead. Granted, if you die in combat, it won't hold and you'll have the option to be sent to Valhalla instead, but...." Hel shrugs. "You're not going to be held responsible for my inability to collect if thats what you're worried about. And all I'd be asking of you, once I have you, is that you accompany me to the Biannual Conference of Underworld Dieties, BiCUD for short." She rolls her eyes, "Sometimes I think they made english the standard because we're all equally infuriated by it."

         "There's really regular gatherings for underworld dieties." Sam says blankly, feeling a bit odd.

          "We network, compare notes, compete, discuss relevant supernatural events. We don't really care about apocalypses beyond projecting an upswing in intakes and preparing for excess souls for those religions with living followers. Though that last incident with the darkness really scared the bejeezes out of us.

        "Hell, double 'l', tends to corupt alot of reapers, and souls that we should get sometimes ended up there. So we all do our best to make sure souls get to where they're supposed to. And that greedy gods don't invade their or others underworlds for a quick power supply. While my afterlife is stagnant, my valkeries are highly in demand and ensure a decent standing, regardless." She tilts her head modestly.

         "I see, and what sort of contract or binding does this involve? What are the terms?"

         "Well, generally, just an oath, some worship, though it's not neccessary as your not aiming for valhalla. I know you're more familiar with written contracts, and as the queen of Helheim, I'm willing to accept such an agreement if you care to help me draft one up. You are the one with law experience. I assume you had at least one class in contract law. Are you hungry? We can go to Biggersons if you like and eat as we write it up. If you'd prefer someplace classier, I could see about last minute reservations.  Or if you'd prefer to tour the accomodations first, see what you'll be signing up for."

          "It doesn't matter." Sam shakes his head. "And Biggerson's is fine."

        

             It takes a few hours, but they finally reach an agreement on the precise form and wording. Three identical copies, individually signed. One for Hel, one for Sam, and one to be buried in their mixed blood underneath the roots of Ygdrassl. When that was done all that was left was to sear her mark onto his soul, just so there's no confusion. While she did so as gently as she could, thanks to his weakened condition, he still ended up loosing conciousness. It doesn't look like he's slept much recently anyway.

         Gabrielle just sits at his bedside watching him sleep.

          "Did I tell you, or what?" She shakes her head, as her daughter re enters the room with some hot chocolate. "Stupid, suicidally codependant idiot." She reaches out to run her hand over the soft fuzz, slowly re-growing on his head, and kisses his temple.

            "You did." Hel concedes. "I'm not sure this attatchment to his brother is very healthy. Especially not in regards to potential relationships."

            "Oh, dad, no, its totally fucked up." Gabrielle gives a snort. "Not only is Dean his father, mother, brother, freind, they're fucking soulmates, too. Can you believe it? Honestly that would have been good to know before the mystery spot. I can tell you that much."

           "I bet," Hel takes a sip of her cup handing the other to her father. "I didn't like doing it this way. Are you sure he wouldn't have just accepted my protection and sanctuary for his soul?"

            "So sure." Gabrielle takes her cup. "He'd never have believed it."

            "I suppose I understand. Look, though, once he's here, if he doesn't want to see you, I will enforce that." Hel states firmly. Her father just nods. "Any luck finding Lucifer's half of the map?"

            "Eh, not yet. I swear, Luci has so much junk. It like he never throws away anything. Its ridiculous. Half the stuff in the crypts, the enchantments worn off, or the creatures it summons or controls or injures dont even exist anymore. There's even a veloceraptor flute if you can believe it, hidden as a pillar. Honestly."

            "Oh?"

            "You should have seen his room. There was stuff from the dawn of frickin time in there. And every stupid little rock or leaf or shell I brought him from earth was either papering the walls or cluttering the shelves. So many shelves. Sooo many things."

            "I refuse to believe your rooms were cleaner and more organized. I've seen your apartment." Hel scolds her.

           "Mine were empty because I was never in them. Everything interesting I saw I gave to my brother because he was trapped in the throne room so much. I'll probably die of old age before I sort through all those scrolls. I have no idea what it looks like or even if its an actual typical map. I dont know, maybe I'm going about this the wrong way."  She drains her cup and rubs her eyes. "I might need to take a nap before going home myself."

          "Is Rhys behaving himself?"

          "He is, in a way. Of course he's still staying a giant wolf which causes problems in highly populated areas, often hillarious ones, but still." She shrugs and looks back down at the sleeping Winchester. "I really fucked this up, Hel. Why didn't I just tell him when he showed up at my door?"

          "Because you're an emotional coward and always have been. Just give him a little time, claire says he loves you just as much as you love him. He'll forgive you."

           "He thinks I'm not real."

           "You do strain credibility." Hel's innocently said remark gets an annoyed look from Gabrielle. Hel just looks up at the ceiling.

            "No you brat. He thinks that I've just been... I don't know... acting. Pretending to be something or someone I'm not. Though, I've got to be honest, if I were going to try and seduce a Winchester, this..." she gestures to all of herself. "Is not even remotely how I'd go about it."

          "You have changed, Father. You're different even from shortly before your death. But I think it just may be actual character growth and maturity." Hel pats her hand consolingly.

            "You bite your tongue!" 

            "You can't fool me, father." Hel kisses her cheek, "Ever since you met him you've been becoming better person. Not that you had as far to go as you'd like to believe."

            "I'm a selfish, spoiled brat. I was the baby of the family, you know,"

            "I'm hardly surprised. He'll be waking soon. Let me take you to your room so you can get some rest before returning to midgard." Hel takes the empty mug.

              "Alright. Thank you, Aiskling. Really."

              "Are you kidding? I have the soul of a Winchester. Pluto can suck my balls. I haven't had this much ammunition since they decided he wasn't a planet." Hel laughs and leads her father out into the halls.

                 

 

 

           

            

      

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, krissy's pick up line is from that tumblr post. https://onsizzle.com/i/angel-withasaltrifle-sassygayangel-heaven-andhellcastiel-ha-hate-how-people-say-1310031
> 
> Funny side note while googling for.it, I was asked "did you mean 'i like your SPINE can i have your frequency' ?" 
> 
> no, google, i did not.
> 
> And yes, Hel was absolutely making a little mermaid joke. Did you catch it?


	34. Hoarders: Hell Edition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel searches Lucifer's first crypt for half of the map to the abyss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story where Michael and Lucifer end up deciding to move the abyss is part of Flying Lessons.
> 
> Okay, finally done. Sorry about that.

       "Good lord." Babe holds up an ancient preserved rodent skin. "Has anyone even used this in a spell in the last ten thousand years? Look at this, can you even guess what kind of thing its used for?" The wolf beside him chuffs. "Huh. Good guess. Lemon grass is actually better though. Less fuzzy." She reaches over and pats his head.

        "Gabrielle." The sounds of an angry sibling reaches her ears. Castiel's talked to Sam it seems.

        "In here." She sighs, reaching for another chest. Inside are just various animal skulls from extinct animals and a couple bones. Rhys, the little traitor, pads off to the other side of the room and pretends to be asleep. "Well, what do you know, its the complete percussion set." She lifts a cave bear skull.

       "How could you do this to Sam?" He demands standing in front of her.

       "I made a mistake, Cassie. Please don't rake me through the coals just yet. We have work to do."

       "Do you love him? Or were you just entertaining yourself?" Of course he can't just leave it alone.

       "Does it matter?"

       "I am asking the question, aren't I?" He retorts. God, that he even has to ask...

       "Yeah, I love him. How you could spend so much time with them both and pick that other one, now that's the real head scratcher." She tries to keep her voice light hearted, and fails miserably. Which is probably the only thing keeping him from leaping down her throat at the insult to his beloved. "No accounting for taste, I guess. Anyways, I'm glad you're here. I kind of need your help. Remember when I taught you to fly?"

          "Yes." The memory doesnt thaw him any.

          "Well thanks to the whole resulting kerfluffle, Michael became convinced I was suicidal and she and Luci decided to hide the abyss. Because of course, if their constant fighting as stressing me out to that degree, the obvious solution was removing my only sanctuary." She snaps.

         "Sanctuary?" Castiel sounds both surprised and alarmed at the description.

         "Yes sanctuary. You dont know how peaceful it was, just standing there at the edge of oblivion. Everything just melted away. No pain, no anger, no hurt, just... nothing. Just peace, complete and utter peace. Get close enough and you can even get away from yourself." She finds herself drifting away at the thought of it. "It calls to you. It almost feels like being wanted, you know."

             If the look of naked longing on her face is anything like what Michael and Lucifer saw, Castiel can understand why they felt the need to hide the abyss. In that moment he vows to himself not to let her anywhere near it. 

             "Christ, Kiddo, whats with the look?" She notices his concerned stare. "Its a nice enough place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. Anyways, my point is, they, dad and the reapers are the only ones who know where it is and the reapers aren't telling. They did make a map but split it between them. I know exactly where Michael's half is, but Lucifer's is somewhere in this hoarders wet dream." He motions to the massive piles of chests, boxes, jars and scrolls.

         "Where is Michael's half?"

         "In her room in the hollow of the third shelf support on the east wall. She's better at losing things than hiding them honestly. Of course, I can't get to it now, so you'll have to get that one."

         "I assume you mean her room in heaven, in the archangels wing."

         "Yup." Babe closes the lid and pushes the chest away. "Its not booby trapped or anything. The only dangerous thing about going into Michael's room without her permision is Michael." She looks around, not sure what to search next. "Not that you have to worry about her at the moment."

        "Even if I did, trespassing would be the least of my offences." Castiel confesses, his face dropping at the mention. "Gabrielle... I'm sorry...."

        "Don't." She cuts him off.

        "Raphael..."

        "I said don't! Not, now. I can't... handle all of this right now. We have to say your little love bug and Sam before there's a war between Helheim and the reapers. And convince my uncle to come back from oblivion once you get to him. I'm human and I'm hurting and I can't afford to reopen even more wounds right now, okay? And neither can you. So... not now." of course, her voice would tremble. Stupid human body, with all these physical and emotional feelings and hormones building on each other and shattering into pain and chaos like a carpet full of legos.

         "Understood." He nods. "Why would there be a war between Helheim and the reapers?"

        "Because Sam sold his soul for Hel's assistance with safeguarding Dean's body and everything else she's doing. When he dies, if the valkyrie gets to him first, he'll be taken to helheim instead of thrown in the abyss. They'll lose, of course. They all know they will, but most of Hel's subjects would rather pass from existence in a blaze of glory than continue whar they view as a mundane and disgraceful afterlife. They are overwhelmingly norsemen and sheild maidens after all." Babe forces a smile.

        "I see."

        "Do you? Because I don't want you going and giving her shit for this under the impressiin that she's doing anything but a brave generous thing, at huge risk to herself and her domain." Babe slowly gets to her foot, accepting Castiel's assistance.

         "I am glad you're alive." He embraces her. "No matter how reduced you may be."

         "Really, Cassie? A short joke?" 

         "You trapped me in a barney and freinds episode infested with velciraptors. I beleive I'm entitled to at least one." Castiel points out quite reasonably. Babe snickers. "That wasn't funny."

          "It was hillarious."

          "I had nightmares about that when I was human. The children would not stop screaming."

          "They weren't real children, you know I'd never hurt real children. Alright, anyways, let me be sisterly for a moment." She hop back a step. "Turn around and bring your wings out."

         "How far? I dont want to blind you."

         "Halfway, right to the border, so i can sort of touch them, but not really." Cas does so, illuminating the crypt. "This has been driving me crazy. Spread em.  All of 'em." Cas spreads his wings and stands still as Babe smooths them out putting the feathers back in order. "Alright, now fold the bottom two. Nope just the bottom pair." She places her hands on his back where the top two sets connect. "That's right. Then the middle. No, don't bring them forwards yet, leve them back a little, so they fold over the bottom ones. Now the top ones, same way. There you go."she smooths the feathers down some more. Castiel visibly relaxes, and returns them completely to the veil, his wings comfortable for the first time since he got them.  "Unfortunatley thats kind of the limit of what I can help you with like this. What with me being as I am right now. Practice folding and unfolding them for a bit until you don't have to think about it anymore."

         "Thank you. I should have thought of that." Castiel sounds embarrassed.

         "Well, you were always better at keeping them presentable than at using them." She pats his back. Castiel just scowls at the comment. "Its not as if anyone's made this transition before. "You really need to build up strength in your new wings, though. Work on moving them seperately from the others. Have someone hold the middle ones still or something. Man. I really just don't know. You'd need a heartless bastard like my physical therapist to help correct the difference in strength. I dunno." She runs her fingers back through her curls, poofing them up a little.

         "Are you taking care of yourself? Did you take your scheduled insulin shot?" Castiel asks. Rhys of course tattles, conveying that the only reason he's hear with his embarassment of a transgender stepfather was that his sister made him come to make sure she doesnt get to wrapped up in what she's doing and go into a coma.

        "I feel fine."she snaps and holds onto his sleeve as she bends down for her crutch.

        "If you die, you and Sam can't reconcile." 

        "Please, my death is the only way he would forgive me." She snorts. "Are you seriously unaware of what stubborn vindictive unforgiving assholes the Winchesters are? No. I had my chance with him and I fucked up. That's all there is to it. Now are you going to nag me about my health or are you going to haul ass to heaven to get that map?"

          "I'm going to nag you about your health. Where is your kit?" Castiel looks around. Rhys grabs the strap in his mouth and carries it over to his uncle. "Why are you a wolf? Why not be a man and help your father search," Rhys' snorted reply is along the line that he'll be a man when his father is.

         "Let him be. He wouldn't be any more use as a man than he is now." Babe pushes him away as he stands up on his hind legs and playfully attempts to devour her entire head. "Uchh. Meat breath. Why don't you go eat a deer or something or chew on some mint leaves. Of course then it'd just smell like mint flavored death." Rhys drops down and stalks off to the stairs.

        "You have to take care of yourself, Gabrielle. He loves you and will forgive you. You know he'll need you. Besides I don't want to loose the only sibling that I can truly trust with what's most important to me.

        "Alright, alright." Babe sighs and takes the blood tester, trying not to show how touched she is by that. "If you want to stay and help me research first, that's fine too. We'll get it done quicker. What the... what's that a black light?" She looks up breifly to see one installed in the ceiling. "I swear if I find any shag carpeting or lava lamps i'm slathering this bitch with teletubby stickers."

         "Your purse only contains sheets of strawberry shortcake ones." Castiel informs her.

          "Oh, well, I'm not wasting those."

 

          "Uggh." Babe lays back against her son, exhausted. They've looked everywhere in this damn thubg, and nothing. Nowhere. It should have been, too. This crypt is the oldest one. He wouldn't move it once its hidden would he? Given this clutter to soet through. When.he started he couldnt even see the floor.Of course, with things like that velociraptor flute... "Fuck." Babe covers her face. "Its part of the damn structure isnt it?"

         "Part of the structure?" Castiel looks at the room as Babe looks down at the floor and scratches some of the dirt and dust up off the tiles with her cane. There are large odd shaped lines etched into it. He set it in the damn floor.

         "We're going to have to take everything out of this crypt and clean the floor." She covers her eyes with her arm. Fenris' tail flops over her lap, curling around her waist. "After I just lie here for a while and take a break. Maybe a nap. That okay with you, Rhys?"

        "I'll start transferring things." Castiel picks up a small box and vanishes, likely taking it to the bunker.

        "You make a great bean bag, ulfy, anyone ever tell you that?" She reaches down to scratch behind his ears until he gives a contented sigh, and lays back just letting the soothing motion of his breathing send her to sleep. When she wakes up the crypt is empty and cleaned and an angel is standing in front of her, just staring intensely.

         "Oh, sister." The little things starts crying. He actually starts crying.

        "Jesus, Hara. Pull it together."the vessel wrenches back control. "Hold on a minute." He nods to Babe. It's like both occupants disappear inside, leaving the vessel with no one at the helm. Hara? Right, Harahel. The angel of anxiety. Well, the angel of libraries, really, but she might as well be. "Give me a minute more. He's really very happy." The man reassures her. "You're a girl though? I thought angels were men."

        "Angels aren't anything but angels. Though personalities do match certain gender roles such as they're defined by a society and angels who take vessels can have preferences."

        "Huh," he considers.

        "Oh, sister." The angel retakes the body, hurling himself onto Babe, hugging her so tightly she can barely breathe. "Sister. You're... you... you're..."

         "Me," she pats the poor weepy thing's back as he cries into her shoulder. "Jeez, kiddo. We're not supposed to flood the earth again, remember? Did you cry this much when I died?"

        "Don't you joke. You were gone. Why did you go? What happened to your grace? How could he have hurt you, you were his favorite song." Hara starts crying again which is the only thing keeping Babe from doing so herself. If her eyes are a bit damp, its only because they're irritated by the dust in the air. 

         "I don't know."she sooths her, "But it's alright. Really its okay, little one. It's okay."

         "No, its not. You're human. And you'll die within the century and be lost to us all over again."

          "Well, it happens. But at least I have this little extra time. I'd thought I wasn't going to have any. And being human isnt so bad. Food is just awesome and dont get me started on the pleasures of the flesh. If you think its good as a vessel. Have I got news for you. Seriously I'm surprised they do anything else."

        "You're a broken human. And you're missing peices. Why are you missing peices? I dont know how to make a leg. I'm a librarian," His sobs start anew.

        "Please stop crying."

        "I don't know how, it won't listen to me right now. And its leaking in weird places. Why is it doing that?"

        "Let go." Babe says gently. Hara lets go. "Straighten up a little. Now lift your shirt. Just a bit. Lets see that belly button." Hara does, though he looks a bit confused. "Do you trust me?" Babe takes firm hold of his waist.

          "Not.. not really.Not now that you said that, no." He starts to lowers his arms.

          "Good," she quickly buries her face into his side and starts blowing rasberries until the astonished angel is on the floor convulsing in laughter, begging her to stop. "There. Better?" Babe pats his stomach. Harahel just hugs her, tearing up again. "Crap. vessel boy? A little help?"

          "Sorry. He seems to be a very stressed and emotional angel." The vessel takes over again and pulls himself away. "It's good to know he has more modes than abject terror, though. Seriously, though, that shorter winchester was too pretty to be as scary as she found him." He dusts off his pants and tucks his shirt back in. "Did you really flood the entire heavenly garden with water from the primordial ocean just to teach a batch of fledgelings to swim?"

           "That was an accident and before her time. It was just supposed to be a small pool. Joshua was so pissed off." She gives a guilty grin. "I was always in so much trouble. I can't believe they missed me as much as Harahel's acting like."

           "Oh, come on. that Castiel dude went insane and slaughtered half of heaven and they atill love and missed him. According to Harahel you haven't killed a single one of your brothers and sisters or whatever and the only one you ever tried to was the devil, and that was to try and stop armageddon. Right?"

           "I dont want to talk about it..." Babe says quietly. The man awkwardly rubs the back of his neck.

           "Right, sorry. But practical jokes and off the wall training methods aren't so bad. So... do you need him for anything else? Because this is all incredibly fascinating but I have this black jack tournament I need to get to." He confesses. "I mean I already paid the fee and I really need to win this thing so."

       "Money trouble?" Babe sympathizes.

      "Maybe a little." He pinches his fingers together.

      "Alright. Well, just let her know. and whatever you do, do not sell your soul to get out of a debt. A little known fact is that if demon is offering, hell wouldnt be getting you otherwise."

        "Okay?" The man raises an eyebrow.

         "Where is that adorable little killing machine Castiel anyway?" Babe looks around.

         "He went to get the other half of the map. Hey is that a black light?"  He points up at the ceiling.

         "Yeah, I doubt it works though. I have no idea what it'd plug into."Babe shrugs. Of course he has to try and reach the string. Why do humans do that? Pull the string, flip the switch, press the button, what does that do? I wonder what this tastes like. Though oddly enough it turns on, dousing the torches in the same instant. "Well, I'll be damned."

         The walls are covered in perfect enochian script that glows under the black light. Notations about the abyss, the ritual. A recipe for an extra steong tether. Lucifer was researching the abyss. He was looking into how to pull something out. What nightmare could he possibly have been hoping to retrieve?

           Babe feels sick as she realizes that the thing he wanted to get back from the abyss was her. When he was released, he must have thought that she'd killed herself. Of course, he would. The thoughy that she wouldn't have eventually joined his side was probably inconceivable to him to the point that if she wasn't beingbforcibly restrained, then clearly she must have been dead. He always was an arrogant bastard, even if it took her longer to see it than it should have.

         After all, He prefered her death to her opposition. How could she have joined him, though? After everything he'd done, everything he'd become, everything he'd planned to do. She couldn't just let him destroy everything on some psychotic jealous rage, taking his anger out on beings that hadn't done anything but be created. She couldn't let him take Sam and destroy everything wonderful inside him. But she couldn't kill him either.

          In that vital moment, she hesitated. Even with so much at stake she couldn't just strike when she had the chance. She didn't even know about this. Or the ones he punted into the abyss to find her. He was fairly scientific about the whole thing. Seriously though? Demons? Oh, no. Not Tabbris. How could he have sent that sweet little darling into the abyss? He was just a baby. That absolute bastard. To selfish and cowardly to go in himself. Of course, he's there now. So is Raphael, that... idiot.... asshole... what the hell happened to him?

          The changes in Raphael were as frightening as the ones in Lucifer. Maybe more so as he was never infected with darkness through the mark like their brother was. How could he go from the sweet cuddle bunny healer to something so selfishly detructive? Sure he got snippy and frustrated and stern with the fledgelings under his care, but that was just because he was trying to keep them alive. So many fledgelings lost to either the leviathan or the abyss. And of course because he kept stupidly trying to be just like Michael. 

         He used to be so kind and caring and steady and loyal. Everyone thinks of Michael as the loyal one, but he has nothing on Raphael. He would do anything, sacrifice anything for their older sister, push himself to his very limits without her even having to ask. She doesn't even know how many times she had to drag him away from things just so he could get some time to relax, calm down, and just have a damn break every once in a while. 

          Of course, she left. And she left Raphael behind as much as she did Michael and Lucifer. She abandoned everyone. If she hadn't, would he have broken so thoroughly, gotten so dark and heartless. How could a healer ever want an apocalypse? How could he have stopped caring? If she'd done things differently. Would things have been better?

        So many possibilities, so many threads of reality, and all of them just as painful and frustrating as the next. How do you make the right choices when you don't know what they are? When the one who does know refuses to tell you? How do you choose when you know there are no good endings for you or your loved ones regardless? Maybe there was a world she didn't hesitate. Where she killed her brother. How would things have turned out then?

     Its useless to speculate. She didnt, he did. Wouldn't it be funny if this was truly the best of all possible worlds? If this reality, this thread with all its pain and torment and constant absolute clusterfucks was the one that ended up taking everyone and everything where they were supposed to go. Not that she's get to see it. That would fucking suck.

        Empty whats full. Fill whats empty. Why is empty in bold and underlined? And what's the relevance of the note about attraction and magnetism? For such a selfish idiot Lucifer could be so positively brilliant so very often. What did these things tell him that she just can't see?

        'Faith love and hope remain. The greatest of these is love.' Babe covers her face breifly and looks up at the drawings on ceiling, staring long after Hara and his vessel have gone . Really bad drawings. What is that a net. A fishing pole. The fishing pole catches the fish but breaks. The net catches everything. A lantern in the depths, drawing everything to it. A beacon. Fill whats empty. Fill them with virtues. Okay. Old news. Why all the cryptic bullshit? 

       "Father." Hel greets him solemnly.

       "Daughter." She mimics her grave tone.

        "You have physical therapy soon."

        "Fuck physical therapy. I kind of have more important things to... damn it, Hel, will you put me down?" She protests as Hel carries her out of the crypt.

        "Not until we reach the doctors office. You are going to take care of yourself, I dont care how broken your heart or how big an emergency, or how depressed and swimmimg and self pity you are. Besides, I gave my word that I would get you to all appointments." 

         "This is because of when you were seven and I turned you into a rabbit because you wouldnt eat your vegetables, isnt it?"

          "Why, whatever do you mean, father?" Comes the reply full of innocence. "I would never take advantage of your powerless state. That would be petty. And involve me turning you into small and fuzzy things. You can't do physical therapy as something small and fuzzy, now can you? Although, were you to do something foolish say like canceling further appointments against doctor reccommendations, you could easily afford to spend that time as some sort of rodent. Couldn't you."

           "Fine, you tyrant." Babe scowls and takes her purse and kit from Rys as he trots up to them. "And I can walk. Or I could have if you hadn't forgotten my crutch." 

          "You won't need it. Your leg is ready."

            "Finally."

            


	35. Gone Fishing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Castiel decifer the map
> 
> Sam refuses any further treatment.
> 
> Castiel enters the abyss to retrieve Dean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Gabriel argedkol baghie crip, ordriax geneganze uira lif mtif nomig noromi."
> 
> Literal translation from the enochian:
> 
> "Gabriel invokes fury but we will nest with her even so."
> 
> Because siblings. Nuff said.
> 
> 'Oskilgettin griss' illegitimate piglet in old norse

       Castiel places the two halves of the map side by side. They don't look like maps. Lucifer's almost does but Michael's doesn't. They dont match up either. In anyway. Michael's map looks almost like star charts but the stars dont look like this from anywhere on earth. Lucifer's half doesn't resemble any terrain he's familiar with either. There's also no legend.

         "Cas." Sam sits down at the table.

         "Sam." He nods to him. "I'm sorry I kept Gabriel's identity from you."

        "Look, it's.... it's not like I haven't done some questionable things for my brother, so..." he shrugs, crossing his arms. "What's this?"

        "The map to the abyss. This is a copy of Michael's half. This is a copy of Lucifer's. The originals would be too large and Lucifers was unmovable. I can't understand what either of them are supposed to be." 

        "Unmovable?"

        "It was carved into the crypt floor."

        "Where was the entrance to the crypt?" Sam looks at it. Castiel taps the upperr left corner. "Alright. Safe to say thats where we should be facing." He turns the page so the corner is facing them. "What was Michael's half?"

        "Large grease stained parchment with white wax dots." Castiel informs Sam, who gets up and grabs some oil and a basting brush from the kitchen as well as a thing of white out that keeps making its way into.the junk drawer. He copies the markings  whitr out before brushing the sheet with oil until its see through. When it dries, he picks it up and places it on top of the other one. Castiel shakes his head, so Sam turns it around then flips it over.

         "Stop." Castiel holds his hand out as Sam, not recognizing the enochian lettering in the design, goes to turn it again. "This is it. How did you know to do this?"

         "In isolation I talked to Babe about all the dumb things Dean and I used to do and our little secret codes and signs and stuff and the whole decoder ring incident and she told me how Miqa and Desi used to be the same way. Usually with communications they didnt want her to see. Of course she kept breaking their codes and this was one of them. The one she pretended not to have figured out. In case a time she was really in trouble came up." Sam crossees his arms, shrugging uncomfortably.

       "I didn't know that." Castiel looks at the enochian script.

       "What does it say?"

      "Its a small chant with instructions to say it over a flaming block of ice. Michael and Lucifer are the only ones who could have accomplished such an impossible thing." Castiel tightens his lips. Is that it? A silly invocation to say over an impossible task? 

      "Hold on let me google it." Sam gets back up and goes to find his laptop. "Does the ice have to be made of water?"

      "It is using the word for frozen water specifically, yes."

      "Alright. So what's the invocation?"

      "Gabriel argedkol baghie crip ordriax gemeganze uira lif mtif nomog noromi," Castiel can't keep the amusement from his voice as he says it out loud. "It roughly translates to 'Gabriel is a pain in the ass but we'll keep her anyways'." There's a breif chuckle from Sam as he brings his laptop out. "It will open a portal to the edge of the abyss."

       "Okay." Sam opens the laptop and pauses staring at the screen when he logs in. The wallpaper is set the way it last was, with a picture of him and Babe wearing the other's wig and the mustaches, making faces at the camera. 

       "She does love you, Sam." Castiel says quietly.

       "You don't lie to someone you love, Not like that." He amends quickly as Castiel gives him a look. "This wasn't for my own good, it was for hers because she's a selfish coward and knew I... she thought I... We're not talking about this. Understood? Its over. Its done." He takes a breath and opens the web browser. 'How to set ice on fire' actually gives him results. The obvious answer of making ice out of alcohol and then this experiment where you place ice in a layer of calcium carbide. "Cas, check it out." Sam turns the computer towards him. "Think that'll work?"

        "It might."

        "I'll buy some tablets off amazon.com. or actually there's a place nearby that sells them that we can pick them up at. I'd better get a few dozen bottles, just in case. What else do we need?"

       "A bowl of wurtzite boron nitride to light it on. I believe I saw one in Raphael's quarters." Castiel looks over to Sam. The glow around him has faded. It barely extends a foot around his person. "Will you be returning to Soiux Falls to continue treatment?"

      "No." Sam closes the laptop and looks to his freind. "I feel better than I have in months. If it didnt work, it didn't work. I'm not... I'm not spending the rest of my days sick and in pain."

      "You promised Dean you would keep fighting." 

       "Well, Dean, isn't here is he? And if I hadn't made that damn promise he would be. Anyway it doesn't matter. I'll be entering the abyss to retrieve hin soon, so if I fail it won't matter. And if I succeed, problem solved."

       "You are not entering the abyss, Sam. I need you to be the anchor." Castiel lies. Sam looks skeptical. "You have a soul. I don't."

        "A soul is more firmly attatched to reality than an angels grace?"Sam frowns.

      "Yes." Castiel keeps his face impassive. "If we're going to retrieve Dean, our best chance of success is to have myself enter and you to pull us back out. I can maintain hold of his soul once we emerge as well, and prevent it from being pulled back in. You can't." Sam is silent, but the slump of his shoulders admits defeat before his mind does.

       "I don't want to loose you, either, Cas." He clenches his fists. "I can't... you can't leave me alone here. Not again." 

        "If I did, it wouldn't be for long. Your blessing is fading Sam. Like Dean's did before he died." Castiel says quietly. "I don't know how long you have, but I wouldn't expect more than a month or two. If you began more treatments..."

        "No."

        "What about your idea for a school you were telling me about?" Castiel challenges. Sam doesnt look at him. "Can you really start that hunters school in just two months?"

        "I couldn't start it from a hospital bed either. Or sick and foggy and unable to type a damn paper." Sam gets up. "I'm going to go lie back down. We can pick up the carbide when I wake." Castiel nods, unsure of what he can say or do to convince him otherwise. Dean would know. Maybe Gabrielle would. Not that he'd be willing to talk to her. Not yet, at least. According to Krissy the fight got fairly vicious in the end. But still maybe she would have some advice.

 

       "You know, they have much more mechanically advanced prosthetics." The physical therapist comments. "This is pure vanity."

       "Oh, yeah? Check this out?" Babe snaps open the shell to reveal the complex system of gears and hinges. "Its not electric, but it is fairly advanced. Its so steam punk, isn't it? I have to start wearing bloomers and a parasol made of sprockets." She refastens it. "It's experimental. Cool, huh? And the knee is all stretchy elastic and stuff, and replacable." She lifts the leg, the material around the knee stretches against the artificial knee cap.

        "You'll break this in weeks, going the way you do."

        "I will not." Babe scowls.

        "So you'll stop acting like the damn bionic woman?"

         "Hey. I am a cyborg. Get it right." She pokes her chest. 

         "Gabrielle." Castiel walks in, carrying her boots in his hands. He fetched them from her apartment, hoping to butter her up a little before discussing Sam. 

         "Well, aren't you the best brother ever." She beams grabbing them from him. "Get me the hell out of here before Hela comes back and turns me into a ferret or something for not making another physical therapy appointment."

        " Ms. Bodasdottir already made the appointment for you." The therapist smiles sweetly, putting the appointment card in Babe's purse.

        "Oskilgetinn griss." She mutters and pulls on her boots.

        "Sister, I need your help." He states and follows her out of the building.

        "Name it, boot bearer."

         "Sam is refusing to resume treatment. I don't think he'll last beyond thanksgiving, if he does not."

         "You think I can talk him into continuing, though you can't?" She guesses.

         "I think you know how to convince him, yes."

        "Have you considered maybe respecting his wishes and letting him die with dignity, free of pain, on his own terms?" She looks at the shops around the street for something.

       "I refuse to believe you are any more content to let him resign himself to death than his brother was." Babe doesn't reply to this. "He promised his brother he would fight until the end, but now that Dean is gone..."

        "He never should have been emotionally manipulated into making that promise in the first place. You know damn well it was for Dean's benefit and not his own. If you want him to be pushed into doing what Dean wants, fetch the man from the abyss because I wont do it." She shakes her head and starts to cross the street.

       "He will die before the end of the year, Gabrielle." Castiel asserts.

         "You don't have any idea how much pain he was in because of those damn treatments do you? How much he was hurting, how sick it made him, even with everything I could do.  I don't even know if he has permanent nerve damage now or not. If he doesn't want to spend months, his last few months suffering like that then as your freind its your job to support his decision and not guilt him into humoring the feelings of a temporarily though currently dead man." She heads into a nearby cafe. "The usual." She winks at the man at the cashier. "Lou knows what it is." The cashier looks even more confused.

        "My name is Sydney, bitch!" They hear from the back.

         "Ah, Lou, such a kidder."

        "You don't like Dean." Castiel says bluntly.

         "He's not my favorite person, no. He's a self righteous dick and I don't like how he treats Sam. I never have. He doesn't give him enough credit, he lies and manipulates him all the damn time and just expects him to be okay with everything because family. Because only he's allowed to push people away. Yeah, he has his good points, but Sam deserves so much better."

        "You think letting him give in to his depression and passively commit suicide is better?" Castiel snaps.

         "No. But letting him skip prolongued torture which is a reasonable decision? Yes. Much better. Besides you act as if you won't be ressurrecting him the first chance you get." Babe pays the man and takes her unsweetened tea. 

         "We promised not to."

         "Well, I assume it was contingent on his promise to die on chemo or not at all. So if he's breaking his end, yours doesnt hold up. Didn't you work with demons? How do you not know this?" She dumps a dozen splendas in the cup, stirring it with her spoon.

         "I would prefer he not die again at all." Castiel scowls at her.

          "Well, I doubt thats going to happen. Just be there for him, Cassie, and don't let him do anything stupid like rushing into the abyss after Dean."

         "I have no intention of letting him enter the abyss."

         "Don't you be an idiot either. There are some things on the crypt walls only visible under blacklight that I really think we should look into a little more first, okay?" She takes a sip, wrinkles her nose and adds more sweetener.

           "I think you should come back to the bunker with me and talk to him." He suggests as she tastes it again.

            "I have things I need to do. I have to help Hela fortify Helheim and Neflheim against angels and reapers. You need to keep a valkyrie near Sam at pretty much all times. Just in case. If you can convince him to come stay at Helheim at any point that would be even better, but I know that'll be hard to pull off while Dean's in the abyss. We'll get you your Winchester back, Castiel." She reaches across the table to pat his cheek. "I promise." She gives it a little pinch before sitting back.

          "You should still come by."

          "No, Cas." She shakes her head. "Though the final for karaoke godhood is tonight. If you two wanted to come see me grind Claire into the dust, we'd appreciate it. The winner goes against the previous years god for the final match. Charlie Browns been the god of kataoke for eight years running, so I'm excited. He might actually be a real challenge."

            "I'll let him know."

            "Any luck with the maps?" She stretches a little. 

            "No. No luck."

            "Well, why don't you bring them to Neflheim tommorrow and we'll take a look at them together."

            "I'll do that." He nods. "I'll ask Hel's permission first as it is her domain."

           "Alright then." Babe turns to see the cashier bringing out her food.

           "What are you doing?" Hel scolds, intercepting the bag. "Fried chicken, french fries, refined flour breads, and is this death by chocolate? You can't eat this, Gabrielle. Are you trying to kill yourself?"

           "Please, like Sam ever...." she starts to reply before remembering he's not there to steal the chicken skins, eat all her french fries or take most of her cake either. And neither is he there to wheedle her into eating some salad or other veggies. The meal seems to lose all its appeal with that relaization and she just takes a sip of iced tea as she composes herself. "Here." She grabs it from Hel and hands it to Castiel, "just... take it to Sam. He needs more calorie dense foods. C'mon, Hel, lets go."

        "I'll make sure she eats something appropriate." Hela puts a hand on her uncles shoulder, giving it a breif pat before following her father out.

       

          The black light was still on when he returned to the crypt, illuminating the writing. There was nothing of note but the recipe for the tether. He's not sure what lucifer had intended to try and retrieve from the abyss, but he'll make sure to be prepared for whatever nightmares await him.

         Its fairly easy to make the tether. Most of the ingredients were in the crypt, now in the bunker, with a few things sent up to heavens library for safer keeping. The most difficult part was finding a pure silk rope to soak in the mixture before binding it to this plain.

         Sam did not eat the chicken dinner, recognizing it as being from that cafe and guessed that Castiel haf been to see his sister. He ended up just stay in his room listening to Heat of the Moment and I Hate You over and over. In the last half hour he's simply been stopping the first song after the first verse and starting it over again. It troubles Castiel a great deal, but again he's at a loss as to what to do. Dean would know, but Dean's not here.

         "Excuse me." Harahel taps his shoudler. "I brought you the ritual."

         "I was just about to come ask about it." Castiel turns to his sister. 

         "I know, I heard you earlier, i just couldn't get away. It's fairly simple. You just fill the cups and drink right to left. The sketch showed each alter was marked even if the marks weren't clear. They must have thought they were just decoration or something. But it'll say which wine goes in which. 

          "At least I think it is. It's the only common denominator and I can't... i really can't garuntee anything. The abyss has been gone since the third Day. You're... please don't do this." He timidly hands the paper over to him outlining the results of his research.

            "Thank you, Harahel. We can't do anything until we decipher the maps though. Have you informed anyone of Gabrielle's status?" Castiel looks at his sibling.

            "No. I don't know what to say. I mean, she's human and I don't think she wants anybody to know... who do I tell? You're in charge, but you didn't say anything."

            "There's a karaoke competition yonight at Louix's V in Souix Falls, South Dakota. You should take some of the other angels to see it." Castiel suggests.

           "Okay?" 

           "Ask Amitiel if she'd like to go. Claire and Gabrielle are the lead contenders."

           "Oh! Okay. I'll go see if anybody wants to go." He nods then pauses. "Saul wants to know if there's a casino in souix falls."

            "I don't know. You can ask Claire." Castiel replies. Hara nods and dissapears.

            "Is it time?" Sam asks from the hallway. 

            "Yes. Everyone will be occupied this evening with the karaoke finals. How are you feeling?"

            "I'm alive," Sam shrugs and takes the bag of calcium carbine lumps from the table.  "Where should we open it? The garage?"

            "Yes, I don't want to risk damaging the jars on the stairs. Castiel gathers the ice and wurtzite boron nitride bowl. The ice lights fairly easily and when he says the incantation, a dark space opens from wall to wall.

           "How long will this stay open?" 

           "It didn't specify. As long as the ice burns or until we go through perhaps?" Castiel frowns. Sam bends over and smothers the flames. The portal remains.

            "I really hope we didn't just create a permanent portal to the abyss in our garage." Sam examines it. The portal is blocking the way out. Castiel just steps through. There's nothing, no sign of him on the other side or an other side to step to. Sam starts to worry just as Castiel steps back through.

        "Its not far to the edge. Wait here until I move the jars inside." He proceeds to carry the enormous jars of wine into the portal. Sam just looks at the bowl of ice in front of him, smiling at the invocation. Damn her for making all of them seem so... human. Likeable even. Whatever happens they can't leave Michael in the cage. "I've positioned them around the altars and filled the bowls." Castiel picks up the tether and the rest of the materials for the invocation. 

        "Alright. After you." Sam waves to the portal and follows Castiel across. There's nothing, but a stone walkway fanning out into a long ragged cliff with the exception of one raised platform in the very center of the crecent. There are seven small altars with seven large cups surrounding a small platform. Off to the left is a similar ledge that juts out farther into the nothingness than any other point.

         Sam walks over to it, a sense of calm, peace and order rising up within him as he gets nearer. Everything starts to melt away, his fear, his pain, his lonliness, his sorrow, even the trecherous foolhardy love that still beats against his heart like an eagle trying to escape its cage. It all just starts to fade into nothing.

        But beyond the peace is a sence of chaos and disorder, brokenness. The peace beckons, but its a peice of emptiness and by entering the emptiness would be broken into... he doesnt even know, something raw primoridial. Its not what it promises. He hesitates, merely reaching out with his hand, which ceases to be. Still there's that pull.

          "Sam." Castiel  pulls him back from the edge with all his might and they fall back into the dust.

           "What..." his heart starts to beat in sheer terror. This is where his brother is? Broken down into almost nothing? With a pull of lies and empty promises so strong you want it anyway. How can anyone or anything ever escape this?

            "Don't get so close."

            "Are you sure I'm the best choice of anchor?" Sam gets to his feet, offering Castiel a hand up. 

         "Yes. Do not approach the edge again." Castiel leads him as far back from the edge as he can while still staying in the abyss. "If you start being pulled in, "Cas ties the tether around his waist. "Let go and find Gabrielle. You can't save us from the empty if you're inside it as well." Castiel states firmly looking him directly in the eye. Sam nods and passes the other end of the tether behind his back and winds it around his right hand before grasping the length with both. Castiel approaches the alters and drains the cups of wine.

           "I will see you shortly brother." He turns and walks off the platform into nothing. 

            

     

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am a cruel capricious god. Of course if you read Devil Pray you already know that. But relax, I promise happy endings. :)


	36. Birds of Feather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Totally finished chapter. (Dont forget chapter 35 important chapter)
> 
> Harahel brings a few siblings to Karaoke night. 
> 
> Gabriel has to answer for abandoning her family.
> 
> Krissy and Harahal go looking for Sam and Castiel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am regretting the narritive choice to change from 'Babe' to 'Gabrielle'. She's Babe, that's it. Will be fixing the previous chapters when I edit. Again. Geez, how many times can I overlook the same mistake?

        "Hello." Harahel waves as Krissy, Claire and Hel enter the bar. A bored looking couple are at the table with him.

        "Hey, Hara! Who are your freinds?" Krissy bounces over as Claire and Alex head to their usual booth.

        "This is my sister Amitiel, the angel of truth, and our brother Zuriel, the angel of harmony." He introduces them.

        "Hey, s'up." Krissy holds her hand out. Amitiel reluctantly shakes it, but Zuri just ignores it entirely.

         "Why must we be here. People are murdering these songs." He cringes ay the pre-contest singers.

          "Tell me about it. Don't worry. The real singers are about to go on shortly." Krissy slides in next to Harahel. "So I take it that I'm not a vessel. Since neither you or your siblings came a knocking?"

          "You never gave me your history." Harahel chides her.

         "Oh. Whoops. Here give me your arm." Krissy takes out her pen and writes a small family tree on the underside of Harahel's left forearm.

        "What language is this?" Harahel frowns at it. Claire laughs and heads up to check in.

        "Crap its upside down for you. Give me your other arm." Krissy reaches over for it.

         "That's alright." Harahel takes the pen and copies the writing on a napkin before turning it upside down. "I'll go check. Give me a moment." He dissappears.

          "I take it you're the one courting Hara so relentlessly." Zuriel gives Krissy a stern look. She just gives him her most winning smile. "Why Harahel?"

         "Why not Zoidberg?" Krissy shrugs. 

         "What?"

         "I don't know. I was just going to say 'why not' but I've been googling futurama memes all day and it just  slipped out. I don't know why. I just do. You guys want a drink? My treat." Neither of them reply. "Yeesh, and I thought Saul was protective." She mutters and heads up to the bar.

        "Miti, why are we here?" Zuriel turns to her.

        "Because Harahel left the library of her own volition and asked us to accompany her and we are her only batchmates left to keep an eye on her. Thats why. And if I don't discover what she's been up to lately I will suffer immensely." Amitiel tightens her lips determined to endure the mass of crunching ice that is a human bar, for her sibling's sake.

        "Hyperbole?" Zuriel seems astonished at the statement.

        "No. This has been causing me great distress. She is hiding something important."

        "This is Castiel's fault somehow. You know he's been lurking around the library." Zuriel crosses his arms. "We never should have taken that outlaw back into the fold. Heaven has gotten so....discordant."

        "Zuriel, heaven had been discordant since before Lucifer fell. Things are starting to work themselves out now. A knot you're detangling can seem messier than one still tightly bound."

        "Why are you speaking metaphorically? When did this start?" Zuriel leans back away from her, appraising his irritated sister. "You're the angel of truth, Miti, not the angel of inane allegories."

        "Literal truth isn't the only truth. And why are you still so set against Castiel? Our father has forgiven and promoted him and ressurrected him several times. He blessed him. Obviously he's doing something right."

        "By doing everything wrong?! No angel has been so... rebellious and disobedient and... and murderous since Lucifer and yet this one is supposed to be right? I don't understand!"

         "Yes, but..." Amitiel tries to understand herself. The truth just keeps hovering on the edge of her mind. "But who was he disobeying? Who was he rebelling against?"

         "All of heaven thats who. And he didnt even join Lucifer, he sided with humanity of all things!" Zuriel motions to the room, clearly not thinking much of the revelers.

         "But... Zuri... weren't we all supposed to be on humanity's side?" Amitiel asks, making his brother go silent with the question.

        "Hey, Bree!" Krissy waves, sliding back into the booth with a whiskey. "Guess what, your brothers are here!"

        "Hara, too? Haven't scared him off yet? He must like you." The familiar jesting tone makes Amitiel and Zuriel both freeze.

        "Please, he adores me. Is that your new leg? It fills out the boot really well."

        "I know right? Think I can convince the bartender that its really my 'twin sister' who's the amputee?" 

        "Heaven forbid there could even possibly be two of you." Claire tosses a balled up napkin at her. "Hey, honey." She walks past the table to give Hel a kiss hello.

         "Hey, Krissy," Babe walks up to the table and looks at the angels sitting on the other side. "Where's... shit."

         "Gabriel?" Zuriel's voice is very small. Amitiel just stare at her, astonished. "What happened to you?"

         "We thought he killed you."Amitiel manages.

         "He did, beyond that I'm not sure, honestly. Please don't make a scene." She looks around, uncomfortably. "We... we'll talk after the competition. I promise."

          "That's not good enough."

          "It'll have to be, Amitiel. Zuriel. I'm sorry." She backs up, looking as if she can't decide whether to go register or bolt for the door. Hel prods her towards registration.

          "I'm leaving." Amitiel clenches her fists. Zuriel grabs her arm before she can dissappear.

          "Is she going to sing?" He asks Krissy. This makes Amitiel reconsider despite herself. They havent heard Gabriel sing in Days.

           "Yeah. She's currently in the lead, though I don't know if she's going to do as well tonight given the break up. She's kind of a mess. Oh and especially since its the Swift Finale. You know someone's going to be doing 'We are never getting back together', too. If its Claire, I swear I will kick her ass." Krissy looks back towards Babe breifly.

          "Relax, I'm doing Blank Space and bribed the dj to lose that other one." Claire walks hand in hand with Hel to the next booth.

          "Why is the daughter of Castiel's vessel holding the hand of a pagan goddess?" Amitiel asks, her anger mitigated by her curiosity.

          "Oh, that's Hel, Bree's daughter." Krissy nods back. Amitiel just looks steadily at her. "What?"

          "Tell me everything you know about our sister." She demands. "And know that being the angel of truth means I will know if you tell me a falsehood."

          "Um, okay, though I got most of it from the books." Krissy rubs the back of her neck and downs the glass of whiskey.

 

         "So I'm like all trapped in the car and stuff because Claire ruins every mechanical object she touches...."

         "Fuck you, Chambers," a handful of ice bounces off Krissy's bed. "Stop gossipping about the break up before Bree takes off her leg and shoves it up your ass."

         "It's not gossip! I was there. Its... reporting." Krissy tosses some ice back at her.

         "Miti." Zuriel looks at his sister who's covering his face.

          "Yes." She verifies,

          "No."

          "Yes."

          "Why hasn't Harahel come back? Hey you don't think one of the stacks fell on him do you?" Krissy asks suddenly, looking under the table as she notices they're still missing an angel.

          "She probably got caught up with people asking about the new additions to the library. And there's this secret project she's working on for Castiel that she won't tell me about."

           "What, do you mean retrieving Death and Dean from the ab-ow!" Krissy reaches up as Claire grabs her hair.

           "We need to talk little girl."she pulls Krissy out of the booth by her arm.

           "Hey, I am older than you littler-er girl and..." Krissy stumbles and falls on the floor. "I think I'm going to be sick."

            "Okay, you're not allowed to drink in public anymore." Claire, helps her up. Amitiel looks at the four empty glasses on the table. The young woman did get much freerer with the information after the first few drinks. She'll have to remember this the next time she has to interrogate a human. "Alex, could you help me get her out to the car? Why the hell are you drinking so much anyways? It wasn't your break up."

          "I'm sorry! Living lie detectors make me nervous. I keep thinking of Robert DeNiro." Krissy moans. "I don't even think she owns a cat." Claire just sighs and catches Krissy as she passes out.

          "Light weight."

          "I'll take care of this, aiskling, you're up next," Hel heaves the unconcious hunter over her shoulder and takes her from the bar.

           "I'm going to find Harahel." Zuriel vanishes. Amitiel just sighs. 

            Why do angels ever want to leave heaven? Why are humans so strange? How are they creating a god through votes at a karaoke bar and why? What is it about the Winchesters that make angels fall for them? How could Gabriel fall in love with the vessel of the brother who killed him? Why does every honest response raise more questions than it answers? Where is the lower half of Gabriel's right leg and where did she get those incredible boots?

         Amitiel buries her face in her hands, engulfed by an overwhelming desire to just go back to heaven, bury herself in the stacks with Harahel, and pretend humanity was never created. Granted that might be difficult as the library is almost entirely composed of their works, but books are so much less confusing than people. Babe, seeing her sister's distress, sits down beside her and places a hand on hers shoulder. The angry pout the angel gives her almost breaks her heart.

           "Don't touch me." Amitiel scoots over. "You... abandoned us. Don't pretend to care now, you jerk."

           "I'm sorry, Miti."

           "Sorry? We needed you, Gabriel.  And you just left and I don't understand why. What did we do?"

            "You didn't... I left because I'm a coward, Miti. Why else?" 

            "That's not an answer! What scared you so badly that you'd rather just leave us all behind to die in that awful war."

            "I couldn't do anything about the war. You know I couldn't. I tried so hard and I just... how could I have stayed and fought and killed my own little brothers and sisters and watched you kill each other? It doesn't matter what side anybody was one, you're all still my family and I couldn't do it. I wouldn't." Babe shakes her head.

             "Of course, it would have mattered! We thought you were dead! And then found out you were alive right when you died? Do you hae any idea what that did to us? And now your this? You'll just die again so very, very soon, what's even the point? I wish I'd never seen you again!" Amitiel vanishes.

            "Well," Claire gently caresses Gabriel's halo of curls. "She didn't try to kill you, and really, that's the important thing." She bends over and kisses the top of Babe's head. She gives Claire a wry grin before resting her head against her freind's side. "Though, that was kind of a dick move, abandoning the babies."

           "What was I supposed to do? Gather them all and hide them in a pocket dimension so they wouldn't get hurt?" Babe defends herself with an oddly specific suggestion. "The little sunspots can't keep secrets. Someone would have told a freind who'd stayed and picked one of the sides and we'd all have been fucked. And also, Lucifer might have won if I did. And I didn't... I didn't want that, either." Babe confesses.

           "I don't envy you your problems, Bree. I really don't. And if you want to go home tonight and forfeit, I promise to be a kind, loving, and forgiving god, bestowing auto tuners on my less vocally endowed worshippers." Claire soothes her, stroking her hair.

             "Oh, Hel's no." Babe straightens up.

             "I wish you'd stop saying that." Hel chides, returning from the car. "It's not cute and now Rhys has started doing it again. Krissy is sleeping it off in the back of your wagon, mon Claire. Don't worry, she won't vomit."

            "Hel was a very enthusiastic toddler." Babe explains. Hel just scowls at her. "YEAH!" She shouts, raising her hands above her head in one motion. "NOOO!" She pushes Claire away with the next. Hel is not amused, though Claire certainly is. 

           "Ms. Callisto, please try to keep it down during other people's songs." The waiter hands her a hot chocolate. "And if you could stop switching  booths..."

             "Is that sugar free?" Hel asks.

             "Yes, I brought the mix in myself." Babe replies, taking a sip. 

              "You know, Hel, she is an adult. She doesn't need you hovering over her like an overprotective nanny." Claire chides her.

             "Yes, well, remember you said that when she eats herself into another coma." Hel replies cooly, returning to their booth. Claire and Babe reluctantly follow her.

             "Where are Sam and Castiel?" Alex asks, looking around the bar. "They said they'd come didn't they?" 

              "No. Cassie said he'd let Sam know, but if Sam won't come he wouldnt leave him at the bunker alone. Besides they're all the way in Lebanon, so..." she shrugs, trying to pretend she hadn't been tempted to pray to an absent father that Sam would come tonight more than she'd ever been tempted to pray before. Even if he did come, he'd be here for Claire and there's no reason to think it'd mean more than that he could stand being in the same room as her. "I should go up. I'm two songs away." Babe gets back up and heads up towards the mini stage. 

         "What the hell?" Claire exclaims as the bar starts to fill with people. "Are they giving away free drinks?" It's an odd assortment, all ages, colors shapes and sizes.

          "They're angels." Hel informs her, remarkably calm for a pagan god surrounded by another religion's supernatural soldiers.

           "Shit, all of them? Bree is going to freak." Claire stands up on the bench.

           "I hope they don't yell at her, too." Alex frowns and starts to practice the banishing sigil in her notebook.

           "I wonder what they told their vessels. That they're on a holy mission or that they're trying to get to a sibling they presumed dead but have been told is alive?" Claire muses. "Actually, I'd be more likely to help them find their sister."

          "What do you know about Gabriel?" One near their booth turns to face them.

           "We know its pronounced Gabrielle, and we also know that if you don't shut up and let her sing we're banishing your fluffy feathered asses." Claire retorts. The angel frowns at her before giving an equally hostile glance at Hel.

          "Uncle." She gives him a nod. This surprises him and he narrows his eyes at her a second before turning back towards the karaoke stage. Babe looks incredibly uncomfortable, and almost drops the mike when its handed to her. 

        "And last but not least," the dj announces. "Our lead contender, Ms. Gabrielle Xena Callisto singing, for our Swift Finale, Shake It Off!"  Oddly enough, she ends up giving the best performance she has to date.

           

 

           Krissy wakes up in the back of the station wagon to a strange man looming over her touching her forhead.

           "Jesus Christ!" She starts, smacking her head against the back of the wheel well.

            "My apologies," Haragel says meekly. "Are you okay?"

             "Yeah, fine, yeah... what's um... what's up? What's going on?" She rubs the back of her head wondering what she's doing in the station wagon before remembering she got black out drunk on whiskey sours trying to explain Bree to her siblings.

             "I can't find Sam or Castiel." The angels wide worried eyes look downright panicked. "I wanted to ask my brother about something someone was asking about from the crypt but he's gone. I can't spot them anywhere."

            "Okay. Well, where were they lost?" Krissy rubs her eyes.

             "The bunker. But they aren't there and I don't want to enter their home without a family member." He pleads.

             "I'm not... well... right. Let me get Claire." Krissy opens the trunk door and gets out.

             "We can't, the bar is filled to capacity with my brothers and sisters. They won't let anyone else in. I'm really worried."

            "Alright. Take me there, I guess." Krissy rubs her eyes. When she opens them again, they're in the main hall of the bunker. "Helloooo."  She calls after reorienting herself. "Housekeeping!"

              "We're not keeping house." Hara frowns breifly before his gaze falls on the papers on the table. He hurries over to it and reads it. "This makes no sense."

            " What does it say?"

             "Gabriel invokes fury but we will nest with her even so."

             "Makes sense to me. She seems like she'd be a pain in the ass sibling." Krissy looks over the paoer wondering how the hell he's getting any of that from that mess.

            "Well, yes, but it says its an invocation to be said over flaming ice cubes."

            "Like that drink." 

            "No, water ice." Harahel corrects her. "It's to open a portal, presumedly to the abyss."

            "Crap, you don't think they.... of course they are." Krissy throws up.her hands, "They're men and men are reckless idiots." She heads over to the garage to check on the wines. They are of course gone and a large black portal is blocking the garage door. "Ah, fuck."

            "That actually opened a portal?" Harahel seems amazed, but Lucifer was a genius, even if that genius was wharped and grossly misapplied. Of course the same could be said about Gabriel, if the Loki stories are anything to go by. "Oh, no!" He claps his hands to his mouth. "Castiel has the ritual. Do you think he... No! What are you doing!" He grabs the back of Krissy's jacket as she goes to enter the portal. "Didn't you just say men are reckless idiots? I thought you meant by that statement that as a woman you weren't."

        "I'll have you know, I am not a woman. I'm a violent over grown child with daddy issues."

        "Lucifer?" Krissy cracks up at this.

        "No, a hunter. That was a brave joke for such a timid thing." She teases the angel.

         "No it wasn't as he's dead. Actually it was a rather dispicable cowardly jab and he deserved better." Harahel actually looks ashamed of herself.

          "Seriously? The devil deserved better? The most evil irredeemable villian in all of existence."

          "He wasn't always the enemy. For seven Days he was our best, our brightest, our greatest hero. He was bad for less than two. He even died a hero, fighting the Darkness with our Father. Humanity only knew Lucifer. You never got to know Helel Ben Sahar." Harahel tightly closes his mouth as the forbidden name crosses his lips.

        "Helel..." but Harahel quickly covers Krissy's mouth with his hands.

        "Don't say it. I shouldn't have said it. Please don't tell anyone I did."

        "Okay.  I don't understand, though. If he was so wonderful how could he be so hated. Are you sure you're remembering him right?"

          "How could we possibly hate him so much if we didn't love him even more? I know you hunters think we're all emotionless dicks, even some of our siblings think that, but we're not. Well, sure some of us are, but so are some of you. You all just change so quickly. You can change so quickly. We have the weight of Days on our back. 

         "I was made on the evening of the third day. So more than a seventh of my life was spent with heaven in a civil war against my own brothers. And I wasn't even a soldier, though I was supposed to be. I just... hid in the library so I wouldn't have to hurt anybody. That didn't even work, either." He hugs his arms to him, walking away from the portal. "I only killed one angel in that whole war, but he was my favorite song. My... best freind."

          "Oh, Hara." Krissy hugs him.

          "I don't even really care that Gabriel ran away. I just wish she'd taken me with her."

          "I bet." 

          "I'm not a very good angel, Kristiana. I'm not brave. I can't fight. I'm afraid to die, so much so that when Uriel came to me I... I said yes because I was too scared to say no. I was going to do the wrong thing just because I was too afraid to do the right thing. And when Raphael and Castiel started fighting, I hid in the library again and either they forgot about me or didn't think I was worth either having or killing. When we were all cast out of heaven, I hid in the ocean in the deepest darkest hole until Hannah found me and took me home. I'm not a good angel and you shouldn't want to be my vessel."

        "Harahel," Krissy sighs. "I'm a hunter, I steal, kill, lie, and defraud people on a regular basis. Beyond which I drink like a Winchester and am trying very hard to be a complete and utter slut."

        "Your liver was in very bad shape." Harahel admits. "I think you may have a problem."

        "Well, I don't care if you know you're flawed. It kind of makes me like you more." Krissy pats her back. "Especially since you admit it. Though, there is one thing, and if you do it again we're going to have serious problems. I mean it, Harahel."

         "Yes?"

         "Don't you ever, ever call me Kristiana again." She pinches Harahel's nose as the angel scowls at her. "Alright, I probably should let Claire know we're headed to the abyss, she is kind of my partner now." Krissy takes out her phone.  Harahel considers her for a moment.

        "You know, just because you're a hunter doesn't mean you aren't also a woman." He comments. Krissy snorts at this. "What did I say?"

        "Nothing, its just that sort of statement is usually followed by fashion or make up tips or something. You can play dress up with my body all you want but not until you're inside it."

        "Saul! That is very innappropriate!" Harahel exclaims suddenly. Krissy just laughs and smacks the angel and vessel a kiss. "Dont encourage him. You dont even know what he said."

         "Was it something about not having to change vessels to get inside me?" She asks. Harahel's blush indicates that it was. Krissy just laughs. "Eh, I can't get her. I'll send her a text and we'll head out." She sends the message and puts her phone away. "Alright, let's scoot-a-boot!" She strides unflinchingly into the portal.

         "What? No!" Harahel runs after her. "This is very stupid. Angels die in the abyss!"

         "How?"

         "I dont know. They fall into it I think."

         "Well, don't fall in." Krissy smacks his chest and continues up the pathway. "Sam! Hey!" She calls as she sees him sitting on the ground. Is it ground? It's weird ground, but no one would design it like this. Of course, since God does exist, technically everything was designed, so... "Sam?" There's a rope on the ground, leading to the abyss.

          "He's alive. But... I don't see Castiel anywhere." Harahel looks around.

           "He's gone." Sam finally speaks and starts to wind the rope around his hand. "He went into the abyss and the tether just... " he holds up the end. Its not frayed or cut or snapped. It just ceases to be.

            "C'mon. Lets get you back to the bunker." Krissy tugs gently on his arm. He doesn't move. "Harahel? A little help?" But the angel is just staring at the emptiness in dismay. "Hara!"

           "Ol alor par uls." A few tears roll down his cheeks.

            "Oh for the love of pete." Her vessel takes over wiping his eyes. "An entire race of fearsome warriors and I get to host the giant winged pussy. Ow!" He half keels over as Krissy lightly punches him in the solar plexus.

             "He just lost his brother you fucktard. Don't be so damn insensitive. Angels are people, too."

              "Sorry." He manages taking a minute before kneeling down in front of Sam, "Hey, buddy, you okay? C'mon." He taps Sams knee with the back of his hand. "We should get out of here. This place is fucking creepy."

           "Sam? You're kind of starting to freak me out." Krissy shivers, starting to feel chilled. He definitely shouldn't be here. "Please dont make me go back and tell Alex Claire and Bree that Castel is gone AND I had to leave you here because you wouldn't move. Because I just can't do that to them. I really can't." She pleads. Sam doesnt respond. 

         "What even is that?" Saul looks into the abyss, trying to comprehend the nothingness before him. Krissy looks at it. How do you describe it? There arent words. But then you dont really need to describe it. Its... it is. Or isnt. It doesnt matter. "Its so peaceful."

        "Its beautiful." Krissy steps towards it, but this finally seems to shake Sam from his numbness and he grabs her hand.  

          "Lets go back." He gets to his feet. "Harahel." He calls to him as Saul starts to near the altars. The angel grabs back control of the body and retreats to the end of the walkway, following Sam and Krissy back to the garage,

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ol alor par uls- i have settled his end. 
> 
> Closest I could find to saying 'I killed him' in enochian. Hara's taking Castiel's loss a little hard. He told him he wasnt sure it would do it, but still. Given what happened in Flying Lessons, you can understand, why he might.


	37. Empty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wayward Daughters check over Lucifer's crypt again to find clues as to where the ritual went wrong.  
> Everybody pisses everybody off .
> 
> Also featuring, The archangels made the moon, and Michael's innate femininity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pashs- children  
> Page- quiet  
> Dodseh d esiasacahe bulape ascha-  
> Vexation, Three brothers are good.
> 
> Hard time finding enochian, there's not much in the way of vocabulary. This is worse than english, I swear.

         "What?!" Claire shrieks as the DJ announced the unsurprising winner of the competition, Gabrielle Callisto.

         "Maybe next year, Aiskling." Hel kisses her cheek amidst the cheers. She finds the applause interesting as she can guess what century and country the angels present are most familiar with given their form of applause.

         "What? No, not... Goddamn it Krissy! Do you know what 'partner' means?" Claire yells at the phone, scrambling over the back of the booth to leave more easily.

         "Where are you going?" Alex calls.

         "That idiot is entering the abyss with Harahel." She replies, very strong hands grab hold of her before she can turn to leave, though.

         "What did you just say?" Zuriel demands, narrowing his eyes at the hunter.

         "I said my partner and Marian the librarian are going into the abyss after Sam and Castiel. Now unless you're going to take me to the bunker so we can save their stupid asses, you'd better let go of me." Claire responds equally hostilely. This causes a few comments in enochian which quickly turn into an absolute uproar, almost a panic.

         "HEY!" Babe shouts into the microphone so loudly the speakers shriek, making the girls both cringe. "Pashs! PAGE!" The whole bar is immediately silent. "What's wrong? What's going on?" The nearest angel goes up to her and whispers into her ear. Babe covers her eyes, spouting a string of words that shock half her brethren and amuse the other half. "Sorry. I have to go. My brothers have lost their damn minds." She hands the microphone to the confused DJ, who's holding the trophy.  There's a protest from the angels who take hold of her, to prevent her leaving, starting another loud argument in enochian. "What the hell? Let go of me!"

         Alex just sighs and cuts her hand, quickly tracing the banishing sigil on the wall and places her bloody hand on it. The massing of angels are blown to the four corners, leaving Babe and the astonished staff and contestants on the main floor.

         "What the fuck was that!" The bartender shrieks.

         "Some one spiked the tonic with acid" Babe lies looking around. "Where's Claire?"  Hel just wipes the bloody sigil off the booth with a handful of napkins dipped in ice water after handing Alex a kerchief to wrap her hand in. 

        "I think Hara's brother took off with her." Alex winces as she wraps up her hand. "This hurts so much more than I thought it would. When did I get to be such a wuss? I used to feed vampires on a regular basis for Christ sake. Crap." She drops her beeping phone on the table. Babe picks up Alex's phone and checks the message.

        "Hel, we need to get to the bunker." Hel just snaps her fingers and all three of them find themselves in the garage watching Harahel try to keep Zuriel from murdering Krissy.

        "You reckless, worthless, little..." The angel seethes at the girl, finally getting his hands around her neck despite Hara's efforts.

        "Zuriel!" Babe raises her voice, sounding surprisingly authoritarian again. Zuriel flinches, stopping what he's doing. "Release the human.  Now."

        "She took Hara to the abyss!"

        "Zuri I took my own self. I'm the one who involved her in this. Stop it!" Harahel stays wrapped around her brother's back, pulling back his arm.

        "Where's Claire." Hel demands darkly, making the furious angel blanche.

        "Zuri, where are Claire and Sam and Castiel?" Babe demands.

        "The blonde ran into the portal when they said Castiel was lost. The Winchester ran in after her. Hopefully they've all cast themselves in!" Zuriel vanishes before anyone can reply, making Harahel fall half onto Krissy.

        "Are you okay?" He taps her forhead, healing her bruises, before he helps her up.

        "Jesus, over protective psycho." Krissy rubs her neck and looks around the garage.

        "Zuriel, Amitiel and I are the last angels from our batch." Hara confesses. "Zuriel hasn't really been taking it well." Babe just examinies the portal. It doesn't show any sign of closing, but given the abyss was moved to keep her from it, she wouldn't put it past Luci to make it collapse if she tried to enter. The last thing she needs is to accidentally strand them at the edge of the abyss.

        "It's not a good idea to get too close, Claire." Sam says gently, leading her out with his arms around the teary eyes girl.

        "How could you let him do this?" She breaks away as soon as the warm air of the bunker hits her. The look on Sam's face says he's asking himself the same question. "Castiel is lost in the abyss." She angrily informs Babe. "He went in after Dean and the tether broke."

         "Fucking... I told him to wait! I told him we had to look at some things some more." Babe punches the nearest car. "But no, why the fuck should anyone listen to Gabrielle?"

         "Because you're a deceitful lying trickster who couldn't tell the truth if her life depended on it?" Sam says quietly, the lack of enraged malice in his tone only makes the statement sting even worse.

        "Fuck you, Winchester."

        "Sister," Harahel tugs her sleeve as she starts to leave, "How do we close the portal?"

        "How did you open it?"

        "An invocation said over flaming ice in a wurtzite boron nitride bowl.." Hara informs her reluctantly. Babe raises an eyebrow.

         "And the invocation?"

         "Um, Gabriel argedkol baghie crip ondrion gemeganze vina lif mtif nomia noromi?" Harahel says hesitantly. Gabriel rolls her eyes.

         "Oh, that one. Dodseh d esiasacho bulape ascha." She sighs, shaking her head. The portal closes.

         "Thats kind of mean." Harahel comments. Babe just shrugs.

         "What is?" Krissy asks.

         "Loosely translated, its 'fuck it, three of us are plenty.' "Babe walls out the garage door.

         "That is kind of mean," says Krissy, the only child. 

          "Eh, brothers." Alex shrugs, holding onto her hand.

          "Oh, you're injured." Harahel walks over to her. "I can fix this."

          "Thanks. Bree's siblings were determined to keep her from going near the abyss, so I had to banish them." Alex flexes her hand. Hel's looking a bit conflicted. "I'll get Bree." She announces and heads outside so Hel can go comfort Claire. Granted it probably would have been mean if that had been the chant to open the portal instead of close it. As it is, its more affectionate teasing. Babe is sitting under the nearest tree, hugging her left leg to her chest. Alex just sits down next to her and gives her a hug.

         "The little brat's gotten better at lying." Babe complains.

         "We'll figure this out. We will." Alex reassures her. "So we have to get three people out now instead of two or one. We can do it."

         "There are the essences of alot of beings in the abyss, Alex. Hundreds of flegelings, thousands upon thousands of angels killed from all sides, pagan gods, demons, my brothers... everyone whos been lost from existence is in there. It'll be worse than finding a needle in a haystack. Its trying to find three specific needles out of thousands of needles in an ocean of hay. And soon there'll be four. It's impossible."

        "Not that soon. Sam looks pretty good, really. Maybe the transplant worked." Alex ventures. Babe just shakes her head. "How can you be so sure?"

        "Because the blessing is fading incredibly fast. Cassie said he had months but it looks more like days. Even if he was lying to himself and not me think he knew better. I think that's why he rushed things in such a stupid way. This is hopeless. Just completely and utterly hopeless."

        "No. It's not." Alex insists firmly, though its hard for her to believe it. But Babe needs to or she'll fall to peices and if she falls to peices without trying everything in her power, she'll never forgive herself. "We've already solved the whole needle in a haystack question. You just use a big magnet. For more needles in a bigger haystack, use an even bigger magnet. Grab all the damn needles and sort them out later. There's always a solution, Bree." Alex regrets the example as Babe just stares at her. "Well, I mean."

          "You brilliant fuckkng genius." Babe grabs her face and kisses her forhead. "Thats it. Thats the solution."

           "Not to pass up a compliment, but if you got a solution from that, I'm not the genius here." Alex raises an eyebrow.

           "A net, not a pole." Babe reaches into Alex's ever preset backpack and steals a notebook and pen before she starts scribbling things down. "Where's Hara? We need to go back to the crypt." She stumbles a bit as she tries to get up, and has to pause for a moment.

           "Where's your kit?" Alex looks around.

           "Ah, crap, its back at the club, in the employee fridge. I'm fine. Its fine."

           "No, Insulin first, then the crypt." Alex gets to her feet and scoops up the woman. "Man, you are a tiny thing."

           "Will you put me down! I'm not a damn kitten."

            "Sorry. I just really wanted to try that." Alex puts her back down.

            "None of you would be taking such liberties of I still had my grace."

            "We wouldn't have to." Alex retorts. "Actually, though, I'm fairly sure Claire still would."

            "Not after spending the weekend as a ferret she wouldn't." Babe retorts.

 

            "Whats this one?" Alex asks pointing to a corner of the floor.

            "Oh, part of a poem. I am yours darling, heart, mind, and soul. There's just a whole lot of love poetry all over. Not even whole poems just bits. 'You live in my memories' more poetic in the original mesopotamian."

            "Is that bold word memories?"

            "Yes."

            "So the bold words are Empty, memories..." Alex writes them down.

            "Heart and soul. Plus grace in parenthises." Babe traces the glowing image. 

           "Dont forget tether." Krissy points to the wall, "That's tether, right?" 

            "Thats not highlighted here though." Alex spots the same word on the floor. "Or does the circle mean its a different word?"

         "No, but in that sentance it means bound. My heart is bound to yours. Nothing shall rend us asunder." Babe nods and grows silent. "Shit." She covers her eyes.

         "What?"

         "Cassie never stood a chance. Neither of them could have done it because there is nothing on this side of the abyss either of them love as much as Dean."

         "I'm sure thats not true." Alex attempts to reassure Babe whobjust gives her a look.

         "No, I have to agree." Krissy pipes up. "No one's that cruel unless they love you more than anything."

         "What? What kind of toxic rom-com bullshit is that?" Babe exclaims. "Hara, you need to possess this girl and keep her from dating again until we've repro....where's Harahel?" She looks around the crypt.

           "I sent him and Saul on a pizza run." Krissy explored the edges of the crypt running her fingers along the engravings.

            "You sent an angel on a pizza run?" Alex gapes at her.  

            "He can do it faster. Don't worry, he's stopping at KFC for Bree."

             "Their grilled chicken is kind of awesome." Babe confesses and sits down in the corner for a breather. Krissy gives her a rather thoughtful look. "What?"

             "You know, if Sam and Dean really are that close...."

             "Oh, you have no idea." Babe rolls her eyes.

             "Then it makes sense he'd fall in love with you." Krissy continues, ignoring the comment. "I mean you and Dean are just so much alike."

            "The fuck did you just say?" Babe demands, half shocked. Alex widens her eyes and frantically waves her hand in front of her neck to signal Krissy to stop.

            "No, I mean, you have a similar sense of humor, excessively flirty especially when nervous, love pranks. Smarter than you let on. Similar taste in media, both huge pain in the asses with issues with authority. Both ridiculously emotionally constipated and... and..." Krissy falters as she notices the glare of death being sent her way.

           "Krissy," Alex moves next to her, whiapering in her ear. "Um, Bree and Dean kind of don't like each other."

            "What? Really? Well, add self loathing and a complete lack of self awareness to the list." Krissy replies just as quietly.

             "I can still fucking hear you, you brat." Babe snaps.

             "Look, just because you don't like it, doesn't make it any less true." Krissy crosses her arms. "Hara, Don't you think part of Bree and Sam's attraction to each other is because of a ridiculously huge brother complex?"

             "Well.... she and Lucifer were very close." Hara says cautiously. Krissy laughs in surprise while Alex just covers her eyes.

            "You little shit!" Babe exclaims. Hara looks surprised for a moment then horrified and vanishes, dropping the bags of chips, soda and kfc and the pizza boxes as well."

           "Hara, wait!" Krissy calls. "Hold on a minute." She steps over the food and leaves the crypt.

           "Got a text from Claire," Alex takes out her phone. "She saya Sam's holding it together, but if you have any ideas how to accomolish that besides activiating his nurturing instinct by her letting herself go and being a completle emotional wreck over Dean and Cas she's all ears. And also charge your damn phone."

             "It's good for her." Babe says.  "She's not going to do something stupid in her greif. Well, maybe hook up with my daughter..."

             "Way past maybe, there." Alex comments. 

              "Well, when Sam gets desperate thats a whole other story." Babe takes out her phone. Batteries dead of course.

               "Thats ridiculously manipulative and you know it." Alex scolds her. "Though maybe Claire did need to be tricked into catharsis, thats not the point."

              "I know." Babe sighs.

              "You need to go talk to him. You need to make up. And playing all these games is not going to help with that, Bree." Alex picks up the bag of.kfc and brings it over to her, taking a seat beside her.

         "Yes, because, as you saw, he's clearly just longing for my return."

         "He's upset. It's not like you dont get bitchy when you're upset. You're the one who fucked this up, Bree. You need to go try to fix it. You can't wait for an invitation to make things right."

         "I tried..."

         "Bree..." Alex sighs.

         "And what are you giving me romantic advice for? You're not even eighteen and have had one fake boyfreind." Babe snaps.

          "Yeah, well, at least I'm not letting something real slip through my fingers because I'm too big of a coward to give a genuine heartfelt fucking apology for my real fucking mistakes." Alex gets to her feet and storms out of the crypt. Stupid bitchy angel with her stupid bitchy cowardice.

          "Hara, I'm sorry." She hears Krissy plead as she nears the top of the steps.

          "Why would you ask me something like that if she was right there?" The angel fumes, though he sounds more embarrassed than anything. "Do you not know what happens when you piss off Gabriel?"

         "I really didn't expect you to say that. I swear. I was talking about Sam and Dean's ridiculously close bond. Why would you even think I was talking about Bree and the brother who killed her?"

         "Well, I don't really know Dean Winchester that well. He's just a terrifying killing machine. Reallybthat's more like Michael than Gabriel. So he's actually like a combination Gabriel and Michael? That's.... that's kind of scarier actually." Harahel blanches, looking away. "How could Castiel fall in love with that? I mean, he is really pretty, but..."

         "Hey, don't hate on my waifu. Dean fucking rocks!"

         "Okay?" Harahel winces

         "He is a terrifying killing machine though." Alex adds.

         "Yeah, but that's all part of his charm. C'mon when we get him back, you'll see. You don't have to be afraid of him, I promise." Krissy takes his arm.

         "Well, you know, just long as you don't hurt Sam or Cas or any of his freinds and family, but especially not Sam and Castiel," Alex clarifies. Harahel turns paler than Alex thought possible or at least gives that impression.

          "I killed Castiel," his eyes widen in fear and shame.

          "What? No you didn't. Don't be stupid." Krissy rolls her eyes.

          "I gave him the ritual and it was wrong and he used it and now he's lost in the abyss and there was that time I stabbed him..."

          "Hara," Babe climbs the last few steps. "Its not your fault that out brother was a clueless reckless love sick idiot. You know that. And neither was the training accident. You can't keep beating yourself up about that. Alex, I'm sorry. That was a nasty bitchy comment and you didn't deserve that."

         "Its okay." Alex shrugs and accepts an apologetic hug. "You know though, just because you're older than dirt, doesn't mean you know everything about everything."

          "I know."

          "Is she? Older than dirt?" Krissy asks Harahel who just glares at her.

          "I have no idea." Bree replies. "I'm older than the moon though. We kind of accidentally made that playing a sort of combination tag and dodgeball with a meteor shower. Luci dodged and Michael accidentally got Raphael, bam, right into the planet. So hard it broke in two. Michael freaked out, mostly because she thought she'd killed him. Luci went and got dad while I tried to catch the other half of the planet before it left the galaxy, because I didn't want Michael getting in any more trouble than she was going to be already."

         "Wait. Who's Mee-kyle? Where was Michael during all this?" Krissy asks.

          "Mi-kai-el is how you're supposed to say it, not Mai-kuhl." Harahel informs her.

          "But don't worry about it too much. Maybe one in a hundred languages gets it right.The mispronunciation cuts down on too many prayers and mandatory summonings and such. Plus she always found it cute. I have no idea why. She wasn't nearly as much fun after that whole thing." Babe sighs regretfully.

            "Why do keep calling Meek.. mik...ah, fuck it," Krissy waves the proper pronunciation away. "Why do you keep calling Michael she? He's a boy isnt he?"

              "No, Michael is an angel, Krissy. We aren't boys or girls, remember?" Hara reminds her.

              "Well how do you reproduce then? Osmsis?"

              "N-no. Nothing reproduces by osmosis." Harahel corrects her while Babe tries not to laugh. "That's not... um..."

              "You mean mitosis?" Alex ventures.

              "Eh, Whatever, you know what I mean." Krissy shrugs.

             "No. Angels don't reproduce. Well, I mean, we can make nephilim but thats really more of an venereal disease than reproduction. I think. Wait..."

              "What a horribly unromantic way to talk about babies." Krissy exclaims looking about as appalled as Harahel is himself.

              "No... I meant parasitic. No..."

              "Thats even worse! And what does that have to do with gender? Sex and gender are two totally different things." Krissy's statement just seems to confuse the poor angel even more.

                "What?" Harahel looks totally lost. Babe decides to take mercy on the poor thing.

                 "We all kind of agreed that Michael fit the feminine more than the masculine when the sexually reproductive binary developed." She explains.

                 "But he's the ultimate warrior isn't he?" Krissy seems confused now.

                  "Clearly you are not familiar with the animal kingdom." Babe shakes her head. "Don't mess with Mama Miqa's babies and all that  of course apparently the war turned her into the kind of mother that destroys her own young, but still." She scowls at the thought.

                "I actually kind of like that." Krissy smiles. "Wait till I tell Claire."

               "Michael doesn't exactly appreciate being artificially gendered, though." Harahel warns her. "She thinks the whole notion is absurd so don't refer to her as she unless she's in a female vessel. Unless you're one of the archangels, like Gabriel who can get away with pretty much anything."

               "Please I only ever got away with anything because Lu..."Babe stops herself. "Never mind. Hara, relax. I'm not going to do anything to you, it'd be like kicking a sick puppy. You, though," she points to Krissy. "If you ever compare me to Dean Winchester again I will shove my boot so far up your ass I'll be kicking your tonsils. Understood?"

                  "Yea, ma'am," Krissy salutes.

               "Hara, come back down. I want your opinion on something." Babe waves back to the stairs.

                 "Me?"

                "You looked up the rituals.  Think I found what was missing. I want to see if it meshes with your research."

                "Oh-okay." Hara looks back nervously to Krissy before following Babe back down.

 

       

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks Dean and Gabriel have way more in common than either would csre to admit.


	38. BiCUD 2016

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Babe make up.  
> Hel hosts the Biannual Conference of Underworld Dieties.(BiCUD)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally did not intend to have that little wizard of oz (movie) imagery in that first bit, but upon typing it I was like, holy crap, Babe is totally the cowardly lion. Alex is definitely Dorothy but for Krissy and Claire I can't decide which is the scarecrow and which is the tin man.
> 
> Babe and Hel's conversation in old norse. (I'm sure the grammer is all wrong.  
> Vera seggr, fadir Be a man, father  
> eda tala yuare elska - and discuss your feelings (love).  
> Armr heidinn- wretched heathen  
> frials ek!- free me (I)  
> neinn, hrafnaduelfr- no you coward (raven starver)

          "I can't do it." Babe turns away from the door. Claire and Krissy pick her up by the arms and turn her right back around. 

          "Yes you can. And you're going to." Claire says firmly and nods to the door. Alex knocks.

          "Its open," is the quiet reply. 

          "I can't. Claire, I swear on my fathers name if you don't put me down right now. I will turn you into a ferret. I'm sure how yet but it will happen."

          "Sounds fun, actually." The smart ass little hunter replies.

          "Ooo. Make me a mink!" Krissy requests, looking at her scowling face.

         "Can I be a honey badger?" Alex opens the door. 

         "You suck. All of you."

         "This is for your own good, Bree." Claire and Krissy carry her in, setting her down in the middle of the room. "Sam."

         "Girls, what are you doing?" he asks them slowly.

         "Being a freind." Claire smacks Babe's butt and bolts out of the room with Krissy and Alex, closing the door behind them. "You'll thank us later, Bree!" When Babe reaches the door it's not only locked but sealed to the frame.

          "You'll be a fucking ferret, Claire!" Babe pulls on the handle. 

          "No, she won't." She hears Hel counter.

          "Young lady, you unlock this door this minute!"

          "Vera seggr, fadir! Eda tala yuare elska!"

          "Armr heidenn! Frials ek!" Babe bangs on the door to no avail.

          "Neinn, hrafnasueltir!"

          "Gabriel." Sam speaks her name. Babe pauses and turns around to see him open the window for her.

          "Thank you." She walks hesitantly over, her cheeks a bit red. But as soon as she starts to pull herself up to the window sill the pane slams shut and bars appear. "You little shit!"

          "I'll come get you when I'm done setting up for the conference." Hel informs them.

         "Will that be before or after I die from renal failure?" Babe shouts back. Her portable fridge appears on the table. "Lecture me on health then lock me in a room without my medication."

         "Are you really diabetic?" Sam asks as she tests her blood sugar.

         "No, sample size. I just love being stabbed with needles. Thats why I have all these invisible tattoos." She glares at the meter  Sam doesn't respond, he just watches her dose herself and write it in the log. Then they both sit in awkward silence until the radio switches on.

         "Lets get together, yeah yeah yeah. Why don't you and I combi-ine." The lyrics start. Babe starts laughing and wipes her eyes.

         "Whats so funny?"

         "Really? Haley Mills. The Parent Trap?" She shakes her head. "I have to give her credit for this one."

          "Why would your grown daughter be trying to make us reconcile?" Sam challenges.

          "I don't know, because the little brat loves me and knows I love you and wants me to be happy. Or just to be a pain in the ass." Babe can't help but give a fond smile. "Relax, though. I'll leave you alone. We'll just wait it out." She gets up and walks over to the bookshelf. Thankfully the song doesnt play more than once. Unfortunately its followed by I Hate You by Sick Puppies. When the opening chords to Heat of the moment start to play, Babe rushes over to the radio to try and turn it off, but Sam puts his hand over the power button before she can.

     "I never meant to be so bad to you. One thing I said that I would never do. One look from you and I would fall from grace. And that would wipe the smile right off my face."

      Sam turns off the radio.

       "You were always singing me love songs weren't you?" He says it more as a statement than a question. Babe doesn't answer, but her cheeks get a bit darker.

        "It was more of an apology really." She looks away and retreats back to the bookshelf.

        "But still a love song."

        "Oh, come on, you know you're attractive. I've always liked them.big and smart and brave and kind... so, yeah, maybe I had a crush and it made me act like a fucking idiot around you just all the damn time. And I'm not blaming you. I shouldn't have blamed you. I fucked up. At just about every turn, I did the wrong thing, said the wrong thing, and just ended up making everything worse. And I'm sorry, Sam. You have no idea how sorry I am for just everything.

         "I know you're never going to forgive me, but I never wanted anything bad for you. Ever. I wasn't trying to trick you or lie to you for the hell of it. Or... I don't know. I just wanted to be near you and make you happy and as healthy as I could and do everything in my power to keep you safe, mind body and soul. Yeah, I was a little selfish, too, but you have no idea how hot you are and how very very badly I wanted to believe that it didnt really matter and I could be with you without all of this between us. I knew better, I did. I just..."

          "I forgive you."

          "Yeah?" She responds a bit half heartedly and examines the books on the shelf.

         "I forgive you, Gabriel."

         "Forgive me when this is over, kid. And when you're alive and well and Dean and Cassie are back and maybe just maybe I'll believe you. It's fine, Sam. You don't have to..."

         "I forgive you. I shouldn't have called you Lucifer's apprentice or any of the things I did in the car. Will you forgive me?"

        "No need. I kind of deserved it."

        "You didn't. We stopped the apocalypse because of you. For everything before that we're good. And I mean it." 

        "Oh, yeah, you got trapped in the cage with Lucifer, for dad only knows how long, being tortured so badly it broke your mind. Great job on my part. Real Angel of the Day material."

        "You died for us, Gabriel." Sam reminds her. "You don't think that means something to me?"

        "Yeah, well, you're worth it." Babe flips through the pages of a book and puts it back on the shelf. Sam moves slowly to a closer chair. 

         "Is it really pronounced Gabrielle?"

         "Yeah, thats why I had you call me Babe. That and I thought it would be funny."

         "I never forgave Castiel for not telling me who you were. I mean, I did, kind of, I just didnt say the words. I wish I had. That's why I'm saying it now. I don't want it to go unsaid."

         "You can tell him when we get him.... wait, what?" She turns around. "He... when did he find out?"

          "The second he saw you, he said." Sam grins at her astonishment.

          "That little shit." She can't help but smile. "I was sure you knew half the time, but I only rarely even wondered if he did."

          "I should have known, though. I really should have." Sam shake his head.

          "Well, you kind of had alot on your plate what with dying and slowly poisoning and irradiating yourself." Babe sits down at the chair across from him. 

         "I honestly just couldn't even consider the idea of a you not constantly eating sweets. What sadist put you in a diabetic body?" 

           "I know right?" Babe gestures to him. "Who would hate me enough to do that yet still love me enough to ressurrect me at all in the first... ohhhh, riiiight." He looks away. "Kali, of course Kali. It would explain why I'm half pakistani, too. And a woman, well, jokes on her, I don't give a fuck about gender. I still can't believe she was with frickin Baldur. Baldur!" She shakes her head in disgust. "My children are the only good things to his credit."

        "They're not yours?" Sam asks gently, a little surprised at the revelation.

        "Oh, they're mine alright. I just didnt supply the ingredients, that's all." Babe replies a bit defensively. "What? Like you guys haven't totally adopted the girls." She looks away uncomfortably as Sam gives her a soft smile. "Hey, don't look at me like that, okay?" 

     "Like what?"

      "Like you still love me. Look, you're dying. Cas and Dean are... gone... for now... and I'm not taking advantage of your grei-" She's interrupted by a kiss. "You don't love me, Sam and I won't make the mistake of believing you again."

         "You don't get to tell me how I feel, Gabrielle." He sounds a bit annoyed. Well better annoyed now than fighting later.

          "I'm not. I'm just reminding you what you said. You fell in love with a woman who doesn't exist, remember? Maybe you've forgiven me, but I can't believe thats really changed anything."

          "Gabrielle..."

          "You don't..."

           "Babe!" He takes hold of her face with both his hands. 

           "What?"

           "Olive juice."

           "Olive juice?" He looks at him as he leans in and kisses her again, moving her arms around his neck.

            "Olive juice."

            "Oh." Her voice trembles despite herself. "Well thats different. Why didnt you say that in the first place?" Sam doesn't say any thing else for the next hour, except of course for potatoes, which she finds both wonderful and hillarious.

 

            "I suppose you're wondering why I gathered you all here today." Hel smiles serenely at the collection of Gods before her. Claire gives a slight chuckle at the statement, though Alex elbows her side to shut her up.

            "It is a little early for our usual conference. But you said you had news." The fae looking one Donn speaks up.

            "Indeed."she nods and motions to the wall behind her. The curtains move back to reveal the enlarged drawing of the abyss. "Who here is familiar with the concept of the Empty, otherwise known as oblivion, or the Abyss?"

            "Hela, we are all aware of the concept of nothingness." The arrogant italian gives her a patronizing look. "However, it is but an abstract concept such as zero. Its what humanity fears more than damnation. But its not actually a place."

         "Hey, how do you say 'mansplaining' in Latin?"Krissy whispers. Alex and Claire and not a few valkyries around them have to stifle chuckles.

           "Yes, actually, it is. The empty is where the beings removed from this plain go when there's no further afterlife for them to go to. Be they ghosts, angels, demons, or gods foolish enough to try and bargain with the devil," Hel pointedly avoids looking at Kali, though many others do. "This is where they all end up every single one of them and this is the entrance. " she motions to the drawing.

           "That's all well and good, but what does that mean for us?"  Kali says cooly

           "It means, that we have the opportunity before us to retreive our loved ones. Our husbands, wives, parents, children, freinds killed by enemies."

            "Enemies," A lovely young Japanese woman smiles. "Such as the American hunters in the ranks of your valkyrie?"

             "Don't kill any people and we'll have no problems with you." Claire steps forwards.

              "She's just a psychology student, though." Krissy points to Alex, who gives her a dark look. "In case any of you were looking for a new therapist in a few years."

              "I'm just here for moral support." Alex holds up her hands, not entirely sure she likes how several gods and a godess are looking at her.

               "They're here to help me complete what the Winchesters started," Hela states firmly.

               "The apocalypse?" A swarthy grecian woman jests. 

                "No, Manea." Hel conceals her irritation better than the girls do. Luckily Manea seems more amused by their glare than anything else. "This is a different sort of insanity. They wished to retrieve Death from the abyss. They have of course, failed and both Dean Winchester and his angel Castiel are lost to the empty themselves. Sam Winchester is dying and when he does the reapers will be attempting to send him into the abyss as well."

              "It's about fucking time." Someone the girls can't identify exclaims to the enthusiastic agreement of all the gods in the room. 

              "Dieties." Hel claps her hands together firmly just once, quieting the room.

               "So you'll what?  Retrieve Death? Will he be grateful? Give you back your father?" Pluto mocks her.

               "I intend the salvation of everybody's loved ones. Besides, I already have my fadir." Hel holds out her arm and Babe walks into the room.

               "Loki?" Manae puts a hand to her chest.

                "Gabriel." Kali nods, much more nonchalantly.

                "Gabrielle." He corrects her, winking to the goddess. Kali almost smiles.

                 "You have some nerve," Pluto angrily stands up, "Bringing that angel here."

               "Settle down before you ruin the carpet, P-dog." Babe motions for him to sit. He very pointedly does not.

                "I fail to see how having my own father in my own halls requires any sort of nerve, Pluto." Hel replies politely. "You are, of course, more than welcome to leave at any time."

                 "Besides I'm not exactly an angel anymore, kind of human at the moment. Well, four fifths of one." She taps her false leg.

                 "And she's diabetic." Krissy chimes in. All the Gods except Pluto and Kali start laughing their asses off. Pluto stands there sullenly while while Kali just blows Babe a kiss.

                  "And what exactly is your role in this?" Pluto demands.

                  "I'm making the net."Babe says simply. "We have almost everything we need to make it, we only need a few minor ingredients."

                  "But most importantly, we need to know if you're going to honor your mutual defense agreements." Hel steps forwards again. The room is filled with silence.

                  "Defense against whom?" Bao Zang asks pointedly.

             "Azrael and her reapers." This goes over about as well as expected.

               "I need an anchor to keep the net from being simply pulled into the empty. Unfortunately that anchor is dying and if he's lost to the abyss so is our only chance of getting anything out." Babe explains.

               "Who's the anchor?" Kali demands.

               "Sam Winchester." This uproar dwarfs the previous one.

                 "I'm not gambling my souls for a Winchester!" This comment seems to sum up the general feeling in the room.

                  "I, for one, fail to see how our mutual defense agreement requires us to aid you in taunting the reapers. If Sam Winchester's soul is meant for the abyss, then it should go to the abyss. The purpose of our alliance was to make certain the souls go to and stay where they belong." Pluto's smarmy voice is really starting to get of Claire's nerves.

                "His soul belongs in Heaven. My sister is simply acting out of vengeance, greif, and frustration." From the look on her face its starting to get on Babe's as well.

                 "Our agreement does not extend to your heaven. If the other angels want his soul, let them defend him."  All the other Gods seem to agree.

                  "That is true." Hel admits. "There is no obligation for any of to ensure that the angels get the souls they should have. However, father, you are wrong about one little detail. Sam Winchester's soul does not belong to heaven."

                  "Excuse me?" Babe turns to her as Hel pulls out a scroll from a nonexistant pocket and holds it up for all to see.

                    "No." Manea gives a slow, impresssed smile. Hel just grins and lets Babe grab it and look it over. Its really kind of impressive how well, Hel and her father work together. Claire wonders if it was always that way, or if it was a more recent development.

              "You little shit." Babe seethes.

              "Would you prefer he go to the abyss?" Hel says innocently. "Or sheol? I suppose I could just let him go, trade him for some more souls. For quite alot of them, honestly." Hel considers. Babe's expressions tells Claire that this adlib crossed the line. 

               "We will discuss this later, little girl." Babe rolls the contract back up and shoves it back against Hel's chest.

                 "In truth, once Death is retrieved from the abyss, Azrael no longer has sole dominion over the reapers. And neither does she have a greivance." Hel informs the gathering. "So your support will only be required if he dies before we've made the attempt and then only until we can make said attempt. He doesnt have to be alive for it, simply to exist."

           "Why wouldn't Azrael just wait until you make the attempt? If she cares so much about retreiving Death." He actually makes a fairly good point, even if he does sound like an absolute douchenozzle while making it.

             "Really, Pluto?" Hel looks at him with disdain, as if even she cant believe he's asking a question that stupid. "You're asking why an angel might not put her faith in the brother of the man who killed her husband? And a Winchester at that?" She just shakes her head at him.

              "Not to mention it involves trusting Loki." Someone points out in a way not entirely helpful.

                "What happens if we start this war and your attempt fails? What then?"

               "There can only be one attempt with Sam Winchester as the anchor. If it fails, then the price of keeping him exceeds the potential rewards." Hel says evenly. "I can't of course make anyone honor their agreements, but I know that every single one of us has loved ones in the abyss. If I succeed without you, be prepared to tell them why I had to."

              "Well, then, when and if the time comes that you need our aid, then will I give you my answer." Pluto lifts his glass and sits down.

              "Oh Pluto, I know exactly what I can expect from you." Hel smiles sweetly at him. "Though if you and Kali would be willing to meet with me privately after, we can discuss the issue of support in further detail."

                "Anything for you, sweet child." Pluto puts the drink to his lips. Only Claire notices the breif little tap of the fingers that turns the wine in the gods glass into grape juice. She raises a

eyebrow at Hel who gives her a small smile and the drinky drinky sign that's not entirely unnoticed.

              "So," a valkyrie behind Alex asks her, "You are a therapist?"

              "I'm training to be." She looks back. "Why do you ask?"

              "How do you make a man propose marriage? My lover is reluctant."

              "Hold a sharp knife to his throat?" Alex suggests. The woman bursts out laughing and smacks her back. "Look if he doesn't want to marry you, he's not worth marrying. Thats basic dr phil stuff."

               "Or you know, just start seeing someone else." Krissy suggests. "Or several people. If he objects tell him to put a ring on it."

               "I hope Harahel takes you as a vessel soon, girl. Because you desperately need an angel." Claire shakes her head.

              "I'm sorry what did you say? I cant hear you when you're all the way up on the THRONE of hypocracy." Krissy grins at her. Claire just blushes and looks away.

                "Since when are you this bashful?" Alex teases.

                 "I like the woman okay? Just... shush."

                 "My lover had his genetalia devoured by a fish. Could you maybe help him stop overcompensating so much?" Another valkyrie moves closer to Alex. "The attitude is worse than the prosthetic."

                 "I... I'm still in school. I just started psych 101. I'm sorry. I have no idea. I'm... I'm going to go check on Sam." She edges out towards the hall. As soon as she's gone, Claire and the valkyries start laughing.

               "You're right, that was fun." The first one nudges Claire.

              "I didnt get to ask my question," Another sounds so dissappointed. Krissy just rolls her eyes and heads to the bar.

 

          

            

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Those first lyrics from the Heat of the Moment are what made me a Sabriel shipper. I dont believe its canon but it could be and should be somehow. At the very least though, gabriel was crushing hard.


	39. Lethe is More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claire goes to fetch a bottle of Lethe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Efxaristo- greek for thank you

           "Man, pagans know how to party!" Krissy comments as they pass the wine.

          "Ease up there, curly sue." Bree takes her glass. "C'mon, we're talking to Pluto and Kali and I'm not leaving you girls here unattended. Where's Alex?"

          "With Sam." Claire informs her.

          "Alright." Babe looks around. Rhys... take the girls to the Hel's study. I'm going to go make sure Alex is alright." She prods the giant wolf sitting by the door. He yawns and gets to his feet.

          "And give your sammy bear some smoochie-woochies." Krissy and Claire make kissy faces at her. Babe just ignores them and goes down the hall.

         "I just... I just want to go to college, maybe a few keggers, join a scholastic sorority or something." She hears Alex talking and stops so she doesnt interrupt. "I love Bree and Claire and all of you guys, but it'd be nice to just pretend to be normal for a bit."

         "I know. Trust me, I know. But the funny thing is that people with normal lives want to pretend they don't. Being normal is about as glamorous as hunting really is. You don't have to hunt, but since you're lucky enough to have people who wont push you away for that, just try and make sure you dont push them away, either." 

        "Yeah. Too bad there aren't rpgs for ordinary life, right?"

         "You mean rpg like computer or dungeons and dragons?" Sam asks.

         "Either. Can you imagine? From the makers of dungeons and dragons, Staplers and Stationary. Can you survive in a suburban beauracracy?" Alex narrates." Be an accountant, or an investment banker, or start as a lowly mailroom clerk and go on a quest to become the cfo by landing the platinum account or discovering a secret paternity." Sam and Babe both start laughing at this at the same time.

        "Hey," she opens the door. "Just checking in. Didnt want to interrupt. Hel and I are going to be having a meeting so don't leave the room. Okay?"

        "Which of us are you talking to?" Alex asks, lifting her head from the desk.

        " Both, but especially you, little girl. You should have told me you were still a virgin." Babe scolds her. Alex blushes.

        "What does that have to do with anything?"

        "Pagan gods, Alex. Think about it." Babe gives her a reproachful look. "So I'd stick with Sam like glue tonight. At least until they all leave. Okay, kid?"

       "Okay." She sighs.

       "I'll send Rhys back to guard the door, so don't freak out if you open the door and see a giant wolf in front of it. Okay?"

       "Okay."

       "Great. I'll be back soon." Babe smiles at Sam who smiles back. "Olive juice, toots."

       "Olive juice, Babe." He blows her a kiss, which she catches and puts in her pocket. "You know, we shoudk make that."

       "What like now?"

       "Why not? What else are we going to do."

       "Good point."

       "Those dorks." Babe shuts the door behind her and heads down to the study.

       "Bree!" Claire waves. "Hey, since I came in second, does that make me a demi-god of karaoke? Or what?"

       "Nope. I told you."Krissy replies first. "That just makes you the loser. Capital L loooooser."she makes the 'L' sign on her forehead.

       "Hel, didn't I tell you to give them sparkling cider?" Babe sighs.

       "I haven't had anything to drink!" Claire protests.

        "Father." Hel nods to her as Babe ushers the two over to the lounge in the corner.

        "Here. Just try to keep Krissy from wandering off or something." Babe sighs.

         "Babysitting hunters again, Loki?" Kali looks over at the girls,slightly amused as krissy lies down with her head in Claire's lap.

          "Taking care of freinds. They're good kids." She shrugs. "So, did I miss anything?"

          "Just seven or so years." Kali says dryly.

          "I already got caught up on that." Babe sits down next to Hel. "I meant just now."

           "Hela tells us you need to loose your mind and have your heart ripped out." Kali teases, holding out her glass for more wine.

           "Metaphorically speaking. And not me, of course. I need an empty vessel devoid of everything heart, mind, and soul. Obviously I know how to remove a soul. But I need to know how to extract memories and someone's emotional core. And so, Kali, Pluto we have a request for each of you. Pluto, I would like permission to take some of the waters of lethe and Kali, I invite you to come and rip my heart out." She toasts the goddess who just smiles. "Or, you know, who ever's."

        "As much as I'd love to, I can't. Especially since you'll need to have an otherwise living breathing functioning body afterwards. Aphrodite could have, I'm sure, but I can't do what you want. My apologies. I will come if Azrael comes for the winchester though. I always wanted to meet her." Kali gets to her feet. "I'd have given her my condolences earlier but she's very hard to reach." Hel just gives her father an annoyed look. As if it's Babe's fault that... well, with Kali maybe it is. A little.

          "Under no circumstances will I allow you to enter my domains, Loki. Or you Hela. And neither am I in the habit of giving out such valuable artifacts as water from the river lethe." Pluto sits back imperiously in his chair, enjoying the moment.

         "Jesus. I thought Zues was supposed to be the arrogant douche." Krissy's comment strains his smile.

          "Jupiter. Different pantheon." Babe corrects her.

          "But in the intrests of our alliance, I will grant your blonde young hunter safe passage into and out of my realm, should she care to come fetch it herself. I make no garuntees about her safety once she's there, though. I'm not a baby sitter and its a dangerous journey."

          "Alright." Claire agrees.

          "No." Hel returns at the same moment. Claire just ignores her.

          "Not without her partner." Krissy qualifies lifting her arm.

          "You're drunk, Krissy." Claire sighs.

          "Its not safe to go alone. Take this." Krissy hands Claire her cell phone. It has a little fairy charm and a triforce sticker on the back. Claire sighs and pats the curly head on her lap.

         "I'll be fine." Claire tucks it back in her pocket but takes the fairy charm for her own phone. She gently slides out from under the drowsy young woman, and walks over to the gods. "Alright, lets do this. What do I need..." She claps her hands together only to find herself no longer in helheim, but in the entrance to a dark cave. You'd think after hanging around with Babe she'd know not to open her damn mouth so quick around pagans, but nooo. Fortunately she does have her angle blade in tucked away.

         There's a torch on the wall, so she takes it down. It kind of stinks but there arent any insects around. The cave is littered with bones, some of them huge.

          "Great." She picks up a large bone or three and tucks them under her arm. The pathway leads down to an underground river where a ferry and ferryman await. "Hey, Charon!" She waves, "S'up." The solemn figure raises an eyebrow as she goes up to him, and just holds out a withered hand.

         "Oh, right." Claire takes out a couple coins from her pocket and places them in his hands. A quarter, a nickel, and a dime. He looks down at them, not sure which ones to return. They're all fairly worthless. "Keep the change." Claire pats his shoulder as she walks past him and sets the torch in a small cup holder type thing, before sitting  down on the bench. The ferryman sighs and pushes away from the dock. "So, how do I get to Lethe?" She asks looking down at the water. "Just keep going? This is the Styx right?"

           "Acheron." The man cracks, coughing a little.

           "A karen?" She frowns. "Hold on." She checks her pockets. "Here. She hands him a small flask. "It's just gingerale. Sorry." He draws his pole in  for a moment, and takes the flask when she unscrews the cap for him. "So I was wondering, what's the deal with this place? Is it Roman? Is it Greek? Did the Greek become Roman in the merger or was it a hostile takeover?"

          "Some did, some were." He hands her the flask back. "Efxaristo."

           "Bless you." Claire shrugs. Charon just raises an eyebrow at her again. "So, um, Lethe? Please? If you could?"

           "Hypnos." Charon starts pushing again.

           "Hypnos? Like sleep?" She repeats. He nods. "Don't say much do you?" He shrugs and looks pointedly around. "Ah, ever thought about getting a parrot?" He just raises an eyebrow. "Its a bird. Talks back. You can teach it to say things. Grey parrots are like brilliant. They can actually converse and understand I think. Or maybe a monkey, they can do sign language. Ah, but you can't sign holding your pole, the pole. So a parrots good. Or if you like music instead, you could get a nighting gale. They have the loveliest songs of any bird." Claire looks around. The other side is remarkably close but far enough for her to get in a verse of 'Come Sail Away'.

         "You like?" She grins as he slows down. "I am the demi-god of karaoke."

          Charon starts to shake slightly and gives an almost choking coughing creaking noise. When she realizes hes kind of laughing, she hands him back the flask of gingerale. Her rewards this time is a pat on the head and the returned flask.

           "Hypnos." He repeats.

          "Okay, I'll look for Hypnos." She picks up her bones and torch and exits the ferry. "Later." She nods to him and continues down the path.

           Its so empty, and silent. Though tere are the wimpering sounds of a sleeping dog or three. Cerberus of course. How big is he? It occurs to Claire that it would be hillarious if he was just a three headed chihuahua, but thats really too much to hope for. Hopefully he'll be an actual dog at least. Or behave like one.

           "Cerberus." She calls sweetly, stopping at the edge  of the next cavern, and puts the torch in a nearby holdern "Com'ere." She tucks the bones under her arm and pats her legs. "Cerberus, come here boy. I brought you something. I... holy fuck you're as big as Rhys." She steps back as the three headed beast plods over and into the light. One head yawns, the other licks his chops,but the last just looks mildy confused. "Hey there, big guy." She holds out one of the bones. The sleepy head perks up and takes it from her outstretched hand. The middle head starts to fight him over it until she holds out another one. The Third just looks at her some more and starts to sniff her hand, then lick it with a tongue the size of a dinner plate. It licks her head next before taking in the last bone and settling down to gnaw on it.

      "Thats a good boy." She scratches behind his ears. The other two heads clamor for a turn after an moment, all clearly desperate for attention.  "Yous a lonely guy huh? Man, I wish I had a ball." She looks around. "I'd probably need a soccer ball or something. I'm surprised you aren't chained or something." She looks around but its clear that he wouldnt be able to fit through the exits behind him and its doubtful he'd enter the river. "That sucks. Look when I go back I'll see about getting you some toys, okay? Really he should take care of his pets better than this. No wonder she can't stand him."

          "Who's there?" She hears a voice fron one of the three dark tunnels in the back. She reaches for her blade just to be safe.

           "Claire, I'm looking for Hypnos?" She tries to see whos speaking.

            "You aren't dead."

            "No. Not yet. But you know, I'm looking for Hypnos not Thanatos." She jokes. "So..."

             "Why?"

             "I came to get some Lethe? Its a river right? Pluto's allowed me.safe entey and exit. I just have to get it myself." There's a sound of disgust at the name. "Not a fan of the P-dog huh?"

              "Hades had class. Pluto is a bully. But I have no say in who rules the underworld. Come, I'll take you to Lethe."

            "Thank you." Claire reaches for the torch.

             "No, light." He says sternly

             "How will I..."

              "Kerberos." The voice commands. The first head snuffs out the torch. "Hades also had a sense of humor." The voice comes closer. "Cerberus means spotted in your language. Its also a pun on evil dead among other things. And Persephone had so much more pluck than Proserpina. She wasn't kidnapped, you know. They eloped. It was all planned out. But Demeter wouldn't listen. So she ate the pomegranite seeds. He had forgotten to bring other food down but she hated pomegranites whuch is why she only ate six seeds. Zues got involved of course because of Demeters hissy fit, so summer with mother."

        "What happened? Why the mixing of pantheons.?" Claire tries to follow his voice, stumbling as she does so. 

         "Oh, there was a big war. The roman pantheon was getting decimated by christianity, so they decided to take over Hades. His name is really Dis Pater, but he took on Pluto to ease the transition."

          "I'm surprised he was allowed to do that. I thought there was a mutual defense treaty between underworlds that pretty much forbid that." Claire puts her hand out to feel the walls.

          "Yes, and that's why." The voice sounds amused.

          "How is he part of it now then? That's be like Russia joining Nato or something."

          "Oh, Well, when Uchu Pacha collapsed, he started trying to be diplomatic. And the demons and reapers were more of an issue at that point. Hela of Neiflheim was opposed to it, but since they'd accepted Mictlan and Xibalba in prior there really wasn't a good excuse. Granted they withdrew in protest after their allies lackluster response to the collapse, as well as when the European gods didn't lift a finger to stop Christianity from colonizing their lands, but that wasn't really an underworld issue, and not even close to being in the scope of the alliance."

           "Huh. So, that's why they hate each other."

           "Well that and she is a powerful woman who holds no real use for men, and he's a man who has only one use for women. He's not faithful as Hades was. In fact it wasn't Proserpina who was sterile in that union." The last sentence is whispered.

           "Wow." Claire trips again, loosing her blade.

           "Here, hold my hand." The man takes hers, helping her up to her feet. At his touch, the cavern lights up around her, revealing a handsom young man with pale skin, white hair, and a grey toga. He's young, pretty even, and his eyes are the night sky.

           "Hello." Claire smiles despite herself. So that's what they mean by the body of a greek god. "Cupid, I presume."

           "Hypnos." he returns the smile. "But thank you for the complement."

           "Well, sweet dreams are made of these." Claire flirts, though part of her brain reminds her that she's involved with a very lovely, very sexy norse goddess, Kind of. They haven't really talked after that whole wonderful event on her throne.  But still.

           "I've never seen the sun, but if it shines a brighter than your golden hues, I could never survive it." Claire just gives a nervous laugh and lowers her blade. "And you came to visit me. To what do I owe the honor?"

           "Oh! Right." Claire takes her hand back and the cave goes black again. "I'm here for some lethe. Did I say that already? I think I said that."

           "You did. But why do you need it? Did some thoughtless, idiot break your heart? There are other ways to forget him, shining one." 

           "No, it's for a friend. Pluto would only allow me to enter so..."

           "So not only are you as brave as you are lovely, but you're a good friend as well. Do you have container?" Hypnos takes her hand again, the light returning.

           "Um, I have this." Claire takes out her flask.

           "Allow me." He takes it from her. "You don't want to touch the water or let it splash on you."

           "But you can?"

           "No, of course not." he puts the flask down on a small table by the cavern entrance. " I have to let go. Are you alright in the dark or would you prefer to still see?"

           "I would like to still see," Claire confesses, "But..." the god's mouth is on hers before she finishes. "I... have a girlfriend. Sort of. It's not official or anything, but... we... I'm sorry. You are very, very handsome."

           "But no husband?"

           "I'm not available. I'm sorry."

           "She is lucky to have such a loyal lover." When he stops touching her this time, the light remains. Claire watches him as he takes a pair of tongs and dips the flask down into a small river, emerging from a fountain on the other side. When it's full, he holds it at arms length and carries it over to the table, gently setting it down so it doesn't fall or spill. He some how also manages to put the cap back on without touching it, before he hands the tongs up by the bed again.

           "Thank you." Claire smiles and heads towards the table.

           "Let the flask dry." he cautions her.

           "Right." she sits down at the table. "So, why didn't you come to the convention? You're an underworld god, aren't you? If it's too bright, I bet I could help Hel rig up something with blacklights."

           "Even that would burn me, unfortunately. But I get around, usually in dreams. It's fairly local, but there are still a few supplicants wishing good dreams for themselves and nightmares for their enemies. Not many, but enough to keep me occupied. You know Hela of Neflheim?" 

           "Yes, she's, um... we're... dating." this makes Hypnos take even more interest unfortunately.

           "Really." he sits on the table beside her. "How did that happen?"

           "Well, funny thing really, one of my best friends turned out to be her father. she found out before we did and came to see him and we kind of hit it off." It's probably the simplest most accurate version she can think of.

          "When did you find out she was a goddess? Before or after she bedded you?"

          "I knew from the beginning. Bree... I mean, Loki introduced her as one."

          "Does she appreciate what lovely lips you have?" He reaches out and touches her lips. His fingers seem a little damp, making Claire lick her lips automatically. "Hela of Neiflheim. Your girlfriend."

          "Who?" An odd mist exits Claire's mouth and forms into a small amber droplet, but the fog in her mind keeps her from noticing.

          "What do you mean?" Hypnos tilts his head.

          "Didn't you ask me something?" Claire frowns.

          "No. I wanted to, but such an appealing girl such as yourself must surely be involved with someone." He gives her a flirty grin.

          "No, I'm kind of a rolling stone." Claire shakes her head. "Why? Are you looking for a little company? I find it hard to believe you lack options."

          "The world is almost never dark enough for me to venture out. Maybe briefly during a lunar eclipse, and dreams are only so satisfying." He shrugs. "It's not the same as the touch of the living.  The warmth, the intimacy. You don't hear the beating of your lovers heart when you rest your head against their breasts. It will take a while for your flask to dry. I would love to entertain you while we wait."

          "Well, to be honest, I haven't been with a man in a while." Claire fiddles with her jacket. "Partly because I can't keep a condom intact. No matter where I put it, it always gets damaged in the hunt, and partly because I find so few men as appealing as you are."

         "I'm not a man. I'm a god."  He leans forwards and kisses her again.

         "No penetration."

         "I request the same." He removes the blade from her fingers and places it aside. Claire laughs and starts to remove her jacket.

         "This is just a little fun, understand? I'm not staying here."

         "Of course not. Your friends are depending on you."

         "Alright. I just wanted to be clear."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its been a long time since any dead have come to Hades so they're pretty desperate for company and conversation. Not that it excuses Hypnos.


	40. Tag Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krissy and Harahel team up to go after Claire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> drittsekk huglausi kamphundr- shit hole cowardly carrion eater.

           Krissy stretches out, the sound of an argument waking her from her slumber. Her head kind of aches, but not too badly.

          "What's going on?" She lifts her head from the couch. Bree and Hel are arguing in the corner in old norse. She can't even distinguish any separate words they're going so fast.

           "Pluto is a drittsekk huglausi kamphundr!" Hela exclaims.

           "He send Claire to Hades." Babe explains.

           "He killed Claire?" Krissy gets quickly, awkwardly to her feet.

           "Neinn. If he had his head would be on my gate and I would be wearing his skin for a cloak!" Hela says in a way that makes Krissy think she's being literal. "No, he sent her to fetch lethe and she was not prepared. Does she even know not to eat or drink there? Or not to touch the waters. She doesn't even have a bottle!"

           "Calm down." Babe urges. "Literally everybody knows not to eat in the halls of the dead or to touch the waters of lethe. Just like everyone knows to take headshots at zombies and to bring coins for the ferryman."

           "She has no coins! She'll be stranded on the banks of the Acheron!"

           "Claire always carries three quarters, two dimes, a nickles and four pennies somewhere on her person in case she needs exact change. Weird but true." Krissy informs them.

           "And Cerberus. He hasn't seen people in so long what if he thinks she's dead and won't let her leave? Oh, what if she kills him? Thanatos will loose his mind and murder her!" Hel starts to pace again. Bree sighs and shakes her head.

           "Hela." She puts a hand on her daughters arm to stop her. "Chill. I told you, if you love a hunter you have to let them hunt. She has to let you rule your kingdom of the dead. It's just part of who she is."

           "This isn't a hunt; it's a damn quest!" Hela storms out of the room.  Babe just sighs and covers her eyes.

           "At least I got her to calm down enough not to just go invade Hades. I have to make sure the conference goes as planned, so go stay with Sam and Alex for a while, won't you? And do not tell him about Claire or so help me..." Babe threatens.

           "Yeah, no. I know. He's not well enough to play hero. Why didn't she try to take me with her though?" Krissy asks feeling a bit put out.  Babe just pauses at the door. "We're supposed to be partners."

           "You were drunk, Krissy." Babe says it with an odd tone in her voice. It kind of sounds like disappointment which is the worst thing Krissy could imagine oddly enough. "Drunk enough that you don't even remember giving her your fairy charm for protection."

          "I.. I didn't know... I didn't realize I'd had that much." Krissy flushes.

          "That's kind of another problem, kiddo. Better you just sit this one out." Babe gives her a sad but kind smile and walks out of the room.

          Krissy just sits there trying to think, or not think. She's not sure which. She shouldn't have been drinking last night. At all. Why did she? Because she was nervous? More of a reason not to drink really.  And Claire's in an underworld all alone because of that. But Dean drinks all the time. Of course he's kind of a functional alcoholic, if she's being totally honest. But what would that make her then? A non functioning alcoholic? Maybe. She just gets so lonely, and alcohol makes it easier. She's not sure how, but it must or she wouldn't keep doing it. At least if she was an angels vessel, she'd never be alone.

           "Are you okay?" Krissy jumps as Harahel appears beside her.

           "Yeah, no." Krissy scoots over and pats the seat. "Are you?"

           "Yes. You were calling for me. I think. It wasn't a prayer exactly but it felt like you needed me so I came."

          "I made a mistake, I think." Krissy looks down at her lap and explains the situation to Harahel.

          "Would you like us to go after her?"  Harahel offers,

           "Woah now!" Saul pushes his way out front. "No. I am drawing the line. I'm not going anywhere near Hades or Hell, or any place where dead people go. No. And you shouldn't either. Either of you. Now, Harahel, take me home and send one of your brothers, a fighter, to help with this."

           "Understood." Hara returns. Krissy finds it fascinating how his entire body language changes in an instant. "I'm taking Saul back to the casino and giving him his body back. If you're sure you want to be my vessel. We could go together. I can heal Claire if she's hurt, so long as I don't have to replace anything, like a limb or organ. I always mess up body parts. They're much more complicated than inorganic items."

         "Alright."

        "Yes?"

        "Yes." Krissy nods.

         "I'll be right back. Brace yourself." Harahel disappears. Krissy snickers at the phrasing then suddenly fonds herself caught in an overwhelming torrent of energy like white water rafting in a river made of energy drinks. There's just so much of everything it all blurs together into  sort of static, a hum, a melody. The song says her name. "Krissy."

         "Hello?"

         "It's okay. I'm right here. You're still here. Hold on, let me put some things away." The everything condenses into a small library with a being made of dim light, like a bluish flickering candle in a short tunic and two large wings with feathers that shine like mother of pearl. "Saul made a big entertainment system so he could see and hear what was going on better. Would you like that?"

         "Harahel?" Krissy steps forwards. The being puts its hands behind its back and looks away in her usual bashful manner at her stare.

         "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking, I'll wear something human." He apologizes.

         "No. You're beautiful. Look at those wings. Its like just so pretty."

         "Thank you. I did have to eliminate about 99% of my luminescence and shrink the image down to your size, but I'm neither a big or bright angel to begin with." He shrugs.

         "Can I touch them?" Krissy starts to reach out for the wings automatically before she stops herself,

         "Well, they're not real. This is just a representation, but yes, if you really want to." He nods. Krissy runs her hands over the inside of the feathers.

         "Its so soft." Krissy squeals. "I just want to wrap myself up in it." Harahel glows a little brighter and folds her wings around them both. "Its like being held by a cloud. How big are you really?" She asks and finds herself shrunk down to the size of Harahels hands, one of which she's standing on. "Wow." She looks up. Harahels eyes are easier to see and are a sort of coral pink as luminescent as her wings. "Are you associated with the ocean at all? You kind of make me think of the sea."

        "I don't know. I don't think so. I hope not." Hara whispers, his voice like a soft ocean breeze.

         "Why would you hope not?"

         "Well, Lucifer's element is water." Thats really explanation enough. "You're so tiny and pretty and frail. How could anyone ever want to hurt you?" He considers her. 

        "Its a talent we have," Krissy smiles. "So yeah, if you could help me see whats going on or just let me take control most of the time, since I am a fighter, actually. Do you know where Hades is?"

         "No. But my brother does. I'll stop by heaven and ask him first." Harahel vanishes leaving Krissy in a fluffy recliner with the remote and a T.V. "I can't really show you heaven, I'm sorry. And dont try to take the body back while I'm there or it will destroy the vessel pretty much instantly, But here's some cartoons." Harahel announces from the large television and puts on Fairly Odd Parents. "Saul likes this one."

         "Okay, cool. Let me know when we're in Hades." Krissy settles in. "Can I have some popcorn?"

          "Yes but its not real either."

          "Oh, then let me have a triple chocolate cake with caramel filling and a gallon of strawberry ice cream instead." 

           Harahel complies and takes herself back up to Heaven's library. She stumbles a little in her vessel.

          "Hara? Are you alright?" Zuriel rushes over to her.

           "Yes, Krissy just has a shorter stride, thats all."

          "What are you doing? What happened to your other vessel. Are you sure you're alright?" She examines the angel.

          "Saul doesnt want to play anymore, and Krissy needs to go to Hades to find Claire. Is Paschar here?"

           "Harahel, you are a librarian, not a taxi service. Drop this human back where you got her and stay out of her affairs. Angels who get involved with the Winchesters and their freinds die. Frequently because they are killed by them. Is that what you want?" He scolds, "To be killed by a hunter and take your vessel with you? Is it?"

          "No." Hara replies meekly.

          "I didn't think so. Now go put that thing back where it belongs. Do you understand me?"

          "Yes. I do need to see Paschar though, I have to at least let her know where it is."

            "Fine. Paschar is in the garden." Zuriel leads the way through the halls. Harahel examines Krissy's fingers. She bites her nails. But they do have pretty half moons on most of them. Saul said nail polish was for girls, so he wouldn't let him try some on. But Krissy said he could do what he liked with her body.

         "You're thinking about something." Zuriel says suspiciously as they enter the garden. Its changed again and is no longer the nursery. Probably because Castiel is gone. There are alot of pretty flowers in this one though. The light colors are especially beautiful. "Harahel, what are you thinking?" 

        "I like pastels. Do you think this body would look good in pastels?" Harahel asks.

        "No."

        "Oh." He tries not to let his disappointment show.  Zuriel just gives a sigh and pats the angels curly head.

         "Paschar!" He waves to a group of angels near the entrance. "Do you have a minute?"

          "Are you insane? Salieri was immensely better than Green Day. Have you heard his operas?"

           "Excuse me?" Paschar stands up, wings bristling. "Have you heard their American Idiot album? Obviously not if you think that anything by that hack Salieri even comes close."

          "Paschar!" Zuriel snaps. "A moment? Harahel needs something."

         "He does?" Paschar looks over at them, then down at Harahel. "You do? Hey, Hara." He puts his hands on his hips. "What do you need? I have to teach this idiot," he flaps his wings blowing air and dust rudely in his companions direction. "About good music. Salieri, my ass."

          "I need to take my vessel to Hades but I don't know where they moved the entrance to once the gods fled olympus." Hara tugs on his sleeves, hoping he doesn't get another lecture on safety.

           "Oh, that's easy. It's in Carthage. Here." He manifests a map and hands it to him, before turning back to the discussion.

           "Carthage? Oh, I have to go see the Acropolium. I think there's some papal writs there I haven't copied over yet. Do you want to come? I hear the architecture is lovely." Harahel turns to Zuriel, who wrinkles his nose.

             "No. Have fun, but after that you'll leave that little hunter to her underworld, understand me?" Zuriel places his hand on Hara's shoulder. 

             "Yes, Zuriel."

             "Good. When you come back, come and get me, and we'll do something fun and safe okay?" Zuriel kisses his forehead.

              "Yes, Zuriel." 

              "Now, both of you are crazy because the Beatles put them both to shame. Have you seen Yellow Submarine?" Zuriel turns to the discussion and Harahel takes herself to Carthage.

 

             "We don't have much time, Zuriel will come looking for me after a day or so." Harahel appears beside Krissy in her chair.

             "Obtuse, rubber goose, green moose, guava juice, giant snake, birthday cake, large fries, CHOCOLATE SHAKE!" The hunter yells along to the theme song.

             "KRISSY!" Hara shouts then remembers he can turn off the volume instead.

             "Yes?" She looks up.

             "My brother doesn't want me to go into Hades with you so we only have a little while until he finds out I decieved him. Do you want to take over until you need me or can I stay up front for a little while?"

             "Yeah, no, just let me out when we reach Hades. But pick up something to eat first. I'm starving."

             "You aren't. My presence is halting your bodily processes. And you just ate an entire chocoate cake and a gallon of ice cream." Hara points out, though he's not sure why he has to.

              "Fake ones." Krissy protests.

              "Your hunger is fake as well! Fake food should have satisfied it."

              "It didn't. I want food. Do you think we should being doggy toys for Cerberus? And I know we'll need a coin for the ferry guy."

              "Charon."

              "Yes. And leave the cartoons. I havent seen this in forever. 

              "Very well." Harahel dissappears again. After about a bakers dozen more episodes, Krissy finds herself standing in a damp dark cave wearing an ankle length sundress with pastel floral patterns and fake nails with each nail a different pastel color. There's a pretty pastel blue Hello Kitty backpack on her back with a soccer ball, snausages, an angel blade and some pomegranite seeds in a plastic cup. "Hahaha. Where's the real food?"

         "Front pocket," Sure enough beef jerky and cheese sticks on the front pocket with bottles of water to drink as well as a gold coin.

          "Thanks." She takes some out and walks down the cavern pathway. At least Harahel left the shoes alone.

          "I didn't have time to look at shoes." His voice is an echo in her head.

          "This isn't a very practical outift for spelunking you know. Or hunting for that matter."

          "I know, but its very pretty and you actually do look very sweet and lovely in pastels."

          "Thanks?" Krissy hikes up the skirt as she sees the dock. There's no ferry or ferry man though. "Aww man. Is he dead? You don't think Claire killed him do you?"

          "Let me up front, I'll get us across." Hara suggests.

          "No need. I see him. He's coming. Hello!" She waves. "Charon! I'm over here!"

          "You're on the ferry dock. I don't think he'll miss you."

          "You hush." Krissy hands Charon the gold coin and climbs in. "Did you see a blonde girl? Yea high, army boots, a sword, lots of layers?" Charon just drops the coin into a pot where there Krissy can see a nickle. "Oh, I guess so." Charon starts pushing the ferry across. "So... hows tricks?" There's no reply. "Jerky?" No reply. So krissy just gnaws on her jerky and enjoys the ride humming the fairly odd parents there the entire time tapping her feet on the side of the boot.

          The dust on the other side is disturbed in a distinct trail. When she reaches the cave with Cerberus, he's sleeping, bones in his mouth and under his paws. But there are three caverns to exit into.

          "There are people down the left one." Hara informs her. She informs Krissy.

           "Okay..." she says quietly and tiptoes past the sleeping dog and down the left hand one.

            "No, your left!"

            "Whoops." Krissy u-turns and goes back up. The way is immediately blocked by a growling head. "Jesus christ!" She steps back, hand to heart. "Easy there, Cerberus. I'm not dead or escaping. I just went down the wrong way. Hey..." she pulls the pack of snausages out."Want a treat?" She holds it up. Two other heads fight to push the first out of the way. Krissy tosses snausages out of the cavern until they go after them and quickly slips into the other cave.

          Its dark and gets darker until she trips over something on the ground, skinning her knee. Definitely not appropriate hunting attire. She can certainly hear noises though. Happy man and woman noises.

         "Crap, um..." Krissy takes out her phone and turns on the flashlight app. "That girl had better not be playing hooky mid-quest to get some strange or I will be pissed." She mutters and continues down. As she turns the corner the light shines into a cavern upon a coupling pair in an ornate bed. The man gives a cry of pain at the light and pulls the covers up over them both.

          "Hypnos? Are you alright?" Krissy hears Claire's voice. 

           "The light. Get the light." 

           "Claire?" Krissy shines it at the naked woman getting out of the bed. "I see the carpet matches the drapes. I could have happily lived a long time without knowing that."

           "How do you know my name? Claire takes a pair of metal tongs from the wall.

           "What? It's Krissy. I... holy shit!" She ducks as Claire swings the tongs at her, dropping the phone in the process. Claire smashes it making everything go dark again.

           "Are you hurt? Did it burn you?" She can't believe she's hearing Claire ask after that thing.

           "Don't turn your back on her! She's a hunter. Kill her!" Oh that asshole. Krissy feels around herself for some sort of weapon or stick.

           "What did you do with my weapons, Hara?" Krissy whispers.

           "What's a hunter?" Claire asks.

           "They didnt match the outift so I put them away."

            "Seriously?"

            "She's here to kill me and take you away."

            "I don't know she doesn't really look like she hunts anything. She isnt even armed." Claire sounds so damn skeptical, it pisses Krissy off. What's wrong with her?

             "Krissy. The amber..." Hara urges her.

             "I can't see shit Hara. If you can, please take over." Krissy slides back into her recliner and watches the scene. Harahel grabs a handful of small amber droplets from the floor where Krissy had knocked over a small box and quickly shoves them into Claire's mouth, holding it shut until they dissolve. Claire stops struggling after a moment, her eyes widening.

          "What..." she looks horified and clings to Hara's arm. "Krissy? Oh, fuck am I naked?" She covers her chest.

           "He drugged you with Lethe. The drops of amber are your memories." Harahel informs her. Claire turns angrily to the god sitting in the bed.

           "Damn, he's hot." Krissy whistles.

            "He is a rapist." Harahel corrects her, dissapprovingly

            "One has nothing to do with the other Hara. So, how do we kill him?"

            "I am not!" Hypnis snaps angrily. "I neither forced nor coerced her into  anything. I merely removed the obstacles to our affection. I have been very lonely, Claire, and your touch has been my sweetest dream. 

           "Yeah, he's not going to understand, Just cut his balls off and lets go." Krissy suggests. Harahel is too appalled to make a response.

            "You took my memories! I could be married! Am I married?"

             "No." Harahel informs her and bends to pick up the rest of Claires memories from the floor. Hypnos grabs Claire's blade from behind the bed and lunges at Harahel. Claire quickly intercepts him with the tongs, disarming him and smashing his face in with the same motion.

          "Don't turn your back on the enemy, Krissy. What are you new? I mean come on, first you get drunk in a room full of pagans and now this. Are you okay?" Claire hastily puts her clothes back on and grabs her blade. Hypnos's head quickly reforms as she does so. "Oh well thats fucking great. Now I can't see."

           "You were never seeing, you were dreaming and if you think I'll keep guiding you with dreams after that... ingratitude." Hypnos snaps grabbing Claire by the throat. Harahel freezes.

          "Hara manifest your blade and stab him!" Krissy shouts.

           "I dont have it! I threw it in the sea Days ago. I.. I dont want to hurt Claire by accident."

           "What? Um.. damnit! Manfest your wings!"

           "What? It's too small. I can't spread..."

           "Jesus, just do it!" 

            Harah brings her wings forwards as much as she can, dousing the room in the light of her grace. The god screams as it chars his white flesh into a protective layer until he's stiff as a statue. Claire devours the last few memories and opens her mouth in dismay.

          "You mother fucker!" She slices off his charred genetalia. "If you ever... ever come near me again or any woman, I wil come back here and send you straight to the abyss. You hear me?" Claire grabs the box he put her memories in and scoops up the charred severed appendages. Harahel gapes at her in absolute horror as Claire tucks the box into the back pack. "You know what? Doesn't matter," she tosses the blanket around his stuff now bleeding form and shoves him to the river lethe. "Shall we go?"  And Harahel goes, leaving the girls behind.

         "Goddamnit, Claire! You scared off our ride home!" Krissy exclaims. "He is a pure delicate sensitive creature and you fucking castrated a greek god right in front of him and dumped its body in a river!"

          "Can we just get the hell out of here? How long have I been gone?" Claire takes out her phone and lights up the room, grabbing the flask from the table.

          "Seven years, there's a little blond kid upstairs playing fetch with Cerberus. I think he's yours." Krissy starts up the cavern.

          "Thats not funny. I need to get to a pharmacy. Like yesterday." She puts a hand on her stomach and hurries after her.

           


	41. To Whom My Heart belongs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Babe takes care of the final requirements for the ritual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am moving on monday so will be packing over the weekend. Probably wont get another chapter up for few days.

       "Hara, come on, please?" Krissy fervently prays as Claire strips for the hot spring. "Just talk to me, would you?"

        "Krissy, she's just freaked out, give her a little time." Claire slowly enters the waters, reaching back for the mug if whatever Hel's mother made for her. Better than plan B, its supposed to completely and utterly wreck her reproductive organs. Angrboda seemed surprised that Claire wanted it, as usually its for your most bitter of enemies, never yourself, but given the situation, she agreed.

          "This is your fault. You just had to take his genitals as a damn trophy you sick serial killer fuck."

         "I doubt he's dead and it's not as a trophy. I'm giving it to Hel for a bargaining tool. I'm assuming he can't just regenerate them. Besides she's the one who turned his flesh into charcoal." Claire protests. "And thats still no excuse for abandoning us in the depths of Hades. Everyone knows getting out is harder than getting in. My damn arms are killing me."

         "Tell me about it." Krissy groans and lies down on the lounge next to the waters just enjoying the heat and steam. "Man, how does he do it?"

         "Practice, I guess. I'm buying him a parrot for christmas, I think, you know, for company."

         "A parrot in a dark foodless cave?" Krissy looks over at her.

         "Crap. You have a point. A furby maybe?"

          "You are such a dumbass."

          "Lush."

          "Hey, I said I was sorry about that. I don't know what's wrong with me. I mean, I know better. It won't happen again, I promise." Krissy crosses her heart. 

           "Claire!" Hel bursts into the room, stepping right into to hit spring, fully clothed to embrace her. "Are you injured? Tell me, aiskling, where are you hurt?"

           "I'm... fine..." Claire informs her between kisses. "Really."

           "I'll leave you two alone." Krissy gets up and wraps her towel around her, before slipping out of the room.

           "Here." Babe intercepts her in the hall and hands her a bag of clothes.

           "Thanks. I have no idea what Harahel did with my clothes, or my weapons."

           "Did he really just abandon you in Hades?" Babe's voice is stern.

           "No, well, look she just freaked out thats all. She burned Hypnos fairly gruesomely which she really wasnt expecting and then Claire castrated him for taking her memories so she'd sleep with him and absolutely horrified him. I really don't think she's used to that sort of violence."

           "Thats no excuse." Babe looks angrier than Krissy's seen her yet. "She left you vulnerable and defenseless and possibly trapped in a pagan underworld. Claire was garunteed safe passage in and out, you were not."

           "It's fine. I played fetch with Cerberus and fed him snausages while claire negociated with Charon. It turns out while he's not allowed to ferry people back across, he can be persuaded by little blonde psychos to let us ferry him. It took forever though and I'm fairly sure my arms are going to fall off, even though Claire and I took turns."  Krissy rubs her arms, wincing as she does so. "Thank you for coming to get us on the bifrost by the way. That thing is gorgeous."

         "Don't mention it. When you dress, Sam would like to have a word with you." She says solemnly. Krissy nods sheepishly, and heads to her room.

         "Look at you. Serious, responsible, maternal," Kali steps over to Babe, amused by the scene. "Being a woman's been good for you."

         "Being human. Its hardly the first time I've been in a female body. Most of my official messages were. People are less likely to attack an apparition if its a pretty girl."

           "True, stupid, but true." Kali nods and looks at her a moment as if weighing something in her mind. "Why did you try to warn us about your brother Gabriel? What are we to you? Toys? Tools? Pets? Some little rebellious phase meant to anger daddy?"

          "I know its hard to believe, but I consider you part of my family. Sam understands that, he always seems to understand everything. Ask the most insightful questions." Babe gives a soft, fond smile despite herself. This convinces Kali of her sincerity more than anything she could have said.

       "You don't think we're truly gods, deserving of worship though, do you? You think your father was the true creator and lord of all." Kali challenges. Babe just gives her a somewhat patronizing look with her typical smirk

         "Please, Kali. Exactly which of our religions doesn't think their pantheon is The Pantheon, their god The God." A point Kali has to concede, though at least most of them have the decency to pay lip service to the other dieties, if only as a courtesy. Not the Abrahamic religions, though. "Any who, I say live and let live. How are you doing, Kali?"

        "Well, as one of the few gods with an active following, I am very well." She smiles. "I'm impressed with how well Hela has held her own, though."

        "She's a saavy girl. So what did you want to see me about. Not to make smart remarks. If so, we dated way too long."

        "You're going to be the net, aren't you? And Sam is your anchor."

        "And if I am?"

        "I think you're a fool. Throwing away this second chance on a hunter, a winchester. You know Quetzalcoatl would make you his preistess in a heartbeat."

        "I'm sure he would." Babe rolls her eyes. "For the same reason Heimdall is content to let me use the bifrost instead of killing me as he wants to."

        "Yes, I know. Men." Kali shakes her head. "The winged serpent's traveled quite a bit, just gathering knowledge. He and Venus actually had a fling before she and Proserpine killed each other. He might know how to remove your metaphorical heart and not just your living essence."

        "How the hell did you do that by the way?"

        "Trade secret, but I still had your blood. The timing was difficult but I caught you as you were leaving your body.  Your grace, however, did not cooperate."

          "Why did you?" Babe has to ask. After all the goddess had attempted to murder him not an hour before hand.

          "Because, regardless of who you were really saving by having the Winchesters take me out of the hotel," She gives Babe a piercing look. She just smiles back a bit sheepishly. babe hadn't realized he'd been that transparent. Those chuckle heads never would have left him alone with Lucifer without someone else to save, the idiots. "I owe you my life. Doubly so given I had just tried to murder you for your blade."

          "Well, thank you, you cruel violent bitch. And your welcome."

           "Just don't make a disaster of this one, Gabriel. I want my Shiva and Lakshmi back."

           "I'll do my best." Babe nods. "Enjoy the rest of the conference."

           "I will. I hear you can actually sing. Is it just this body or were you faking before?" 

           "I couldn't really sing like I was able to. Anymore than I could really fight like I was able. I'd have given myself away. How did I give myself away, by the way?"

          "I noticed your notice of the Winchesters and had Anansi do me a little favor in regards to surveillance. He found it hillarious by the way.

          "I bet he did." Babe gives a humorless smile.

          "Goodbye, Loki." Kali puts a hand to her cheek. "It was never boring." Babe smiles and watches her leave. Its a shame her heart belongs to Lakshmi. Of course Sam would probably object even if it could happen in this body. She assumes he wouldn't be too keen on a threesome, either. Ah, well. So. Quetzalcoatl can steal metaphysical hearts now.

           "Ah fuck, I have to go see Coacoa." Babe covers her eyes. "But first I'd better get me a slice of Samcake."

           "Talking to yourself again?" Babe is startled by a naked man with brownish grey hair and golden eyes.

            "Well, look at you and your nekkid human butt. Whats the occaision, Rhys, and why doesnt it require clothes?" She smiles at him

            "That brunette.... The virgin." He starts looking back down the hall towards Sam's room.

            "No."

            "What? You're letting Hel play with the Blonde!" He protests.

            "No. Hel, responsible, respectful child is dating her. I expressly forbid Hel to play with her and you don't know how to do amything else." Babe crosses her arms.

            "You're one to talk! You're in the middle of a game right now!" He mirrors her pose.

             "No. I'm not and even if I was we are both grown human beings. She's still just a child and has already had one devestating heartbreak, he doesnt need another. Now you can go fool around with your valkyrie or thousands of other available adult women and leave my freinds alone."

            "Or what?" Rhys narrows his eyes at her, still looking like the petulant brat he is.

             "Or I'll go talk to your mother, that's what."

             "No you won't." Rhys steps back, though, clearly unsure.

             "I might just do it anyways. Get my freind some special perfume. Monkshood has such a lovely fragrance, don't you agree?" Babe looks him straight in the eye until he averts his gaze.

             "You're a hypocrite and an ass and I hope this blows up in your face." Rhys turns and slides back into wolf form, stalking off down the hall. Babe just sighs and heads off to Sam's room. He'll get over it as soon as Hlockk starts putting out.

              "Um, seven." She hears Brunhilde say as she nears the room.

              "You get the coffee back in time and still warm but forget the cream and sugar. Loose one reputation point."

               "Damnit. No, wait. My charismas like 20. Have me try to convince her that straight black coffee shrinks pores or something."

               "Alright. Roll." Babe opebs the door to see about four valkyrie on the floor around some dice with papers and Sam with a binder.

               "Fifteen!"

               "You suceed. Plua two reputation and she changes her daily coffee order to nothing but straight black from now on, reducing your work load by 1 point."

              "Ha! Suck it, Hrist!" Brunhilde exclaims. Hrist just rolls her eyes.

               "What the hell are you doing?" Babe asks.

               "Playing Staples and Stationary. I'm the assistant for the comopany ceo's trophy wife." Brunhilde beams. "Hrist is just a secretary at the front desk."

               "We're still working out the system. So we're doing a little beta testing." Sam explains.

                "Where's the Alex?" Babe catches herself, almost asking 'where's the virgin'.

                "Hildr took her back to Souix Falls to take a test,"

                "Oh, good. Alright, Eir, Hrist, all of you need to scoot. I need to talk to my sweet sampita." Babe holds the door open. The girls sigh and hand Sam their character sheets.

              "You always know the most interesting people, Loki." Hjorprimul comments as she passes, almost whistfully.

               "Yeah, its called socializing. " she pats her back. Sam slowly outs everything together and places it on the table. "You really made it?"

           "It seems to be a hit. I'll have to bequeath it to the girls." He stretches. "If we can't retrieve Cas and Dean, I'm leaving everything to you."

              "Don't," Babe pleads."Don't talk about things like that, not when we're so close."

              "Alright." He agrees softly.

              "Where's Krissy? Did you already speak to her?"

               "Not yet. She came by but she looked exhausted so I sent her to get some rest first. So were you going to tell me about this net thing you're building?"

              "Eventually." Babe looks away.

              "When?"

              "When it was already built ideally. I still need a few thungs. And I have to go talk to Coacoa about it. But I wanted to... I needed to see you first." She wraps her arms around his waist and rests her head against his chest. He's barely a shadow of what he once as but he's still Sam and thats enough.

           "What did you need to talk about?" He kisses the top of her head.

            "I don't need to talk about anything." She looks up at him. "I'm stressed as fuck and can't eat chocolate. Help a girl out?" She smiles, making eyes at him. Sam just looks thoughtful for a moment.

            "Tell me what you're planning."

            "When I come back from talking to Coacoa, I promise." She agrees.

             "I don't want anything to happen to you, Gabrielle. Its very important to me that you understand that."

            "I understand. I don't want anything to happen to you either." She pinches what's left of his butt. He returns the favor.

             

            "I do. Yes." Quetzalcotl nods as Babe fills the goblet with her blood. "Thank you." He accepts it. "Aren't you warm in that? Wouldn't you like to change into something more comfortable?"

             "I'm as comfortable as I can possibly be." She replies, removing the iv line and bandages the injection site. "Alright. So how do you do it?"

             "I can't tell you. I promised my darling Venus not to share such a devestating technique." He infuriatingly sips the blood.

             "Well, then what exactly did I just sacrifice blood for?" Babe clenches her teeth.

             "For the answers to your couple of questions. Yes. I know how. And no I can't tell you." The smug smile of his face reminds Babe what a complete asshole he is.  Its remarkable how quickly you get used to speaking with beings that aren't unrepentant opportunistic dicks all the damn time. No wonder so many humans embrace atheistic communism.

           "Listen you winged serpant..."

           "I can do it for you though." He interrupts, "But in exchange, I want it."

           "Want what? My heart? I told you, it doesn't belong to me." She shakes her head. "It's sams. You should know this."

            "But he's dying. He can't hold onto it, protect it."

            "He'll be resurrected." She informs him cooly. 

             "Maybe. But while he's dead you'll still need it kept safe and everyone else will be busy defending his soul. Give it to me in trust from thw moment I take it from your body until when he's resurrected and healthy and can care for it properly. That'll be my price."

            "And you'll give it to him? When he comes for it?"

            "If he's alive, healthy and can properly safeguard it, yes." He nods.

            "I want it in writing."

             "If you insist." He shrugs bringing up some papers.

             "Alright then." Babe fans herself with the papers a moment before reding them over. "Are you coming back to neflheim with me?"

              "No, thank you." Quetzalcoatl walks over to a jewelry box. "When you need me, break this and I'll come." He takes out a glass hummingbird. "I wish you'd reconsider, Coyotl. You shouldn't do this to yourself. Not for some transient human being."

               "I happen to be a transient human being now, thank you very much." Babe wraps the hummingbird in a kercheif and places it in her pocket.

                "You don't have to be. Stay with me. Worship me and we can build our own empire on the ashes of the old. Your father is dead, heaven is a broken shadow of what it once was. People need something to worship. Perhaps they could worship you into transcendance and together we could change the world." He takes her hands, the poor delusional fool.

           "No, Coacoa. I made my choice years ago and I chose humanity. I'm here to serve them not rule them. Be the Alfred to their Batman." She smiles, "Well, maybe the Kato to their Green Hornet."

            "Very well. You always did oddly favor them." Coacoa sighs, shaking his head at her foolishness. "Alright, you old coyote." He pats her hand. "I'll see you shortly."

             "See you soon." Babe pats his cheek. "Give your mother my regards,"

            "And your condolences?"

             "If she suddenly started giving a shit about Xolotl, sure. If not, tell her to fuck herself." Babe smiles brightly.

            "She's well aware of what your regards are." He grins taking another sup of the blood. "Your blood sugars a bit high."

             "Well, I wasnt going to dose myself before opening a vein for you,  you glorified vampire. I don't want to waste my insulin."But she should take care of that before going back on the bifrost. She takes out her kit checks her levels.

            "It is fairly amazing what they've accomplished." Coacoa watches her, fascinated by the process. "And a little disturbing."

             "I see you've been on the internet."

             "I have, yes." He nods.  "There is alot of pornography. And cats."

              "Yup, they love the pussy alright." Babe grins.

               "I found the trailer for Casa Erotica 3000 particularly interesting. I don't think the director realized he was directing porn though." Its getting increasingly hard to ignore that he's consuming her blood right in front of her. Especially as it leaving a mustache.

               "That was my impression."

               "It's been nominated for an award."

               "Seriously?" Babe looks up in shock.

              "Yes, Peter Iglesias is nominated for the best choreography."

               "Damn it. I'll have to have Claire go to the award show in my place," Babe sighs. "Alright. I'm going back to Helheim. Be careful and please don't start wholesale human sacrifice again. You know you don't need it and I don't want you taken out by hunters." She gives him a quick hug and heads out of the temple. "Alright, Dally." She gives the hitchhikers thumb. "I need to speak with you a minute, too." The bifrost descends and she quickly climbs it to Heimdall's watch tower.

            "What do you have to say to me, liesmith." The golden god looks down at the tiny woman, a stern imposing look in his eyes.

             "I prefer Idris Elba," she examines him.

              "Honestly, I would prefer it as well." He confesses. "I also prefer Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury."

               "I know, right? You know the only reason he wasnt black in the original comics is because Samuel L Jackson wasnt born yet. Well, that and systemic racism." Babe concedes. Of all the stupid things. No wonder Raphael didnt like to come down. 

               "What did you think of Morgan Freemen as your father?" He thinks hes being provocative but he's really just being an idiot.

                 "Perfection. Seriously, who the hell else could possibly be the voice of God?" Babe puts her hand skn her hips. "Though the fact that his voice is so damn sexy is now incredibly disturbing to me."

            "I heard you were supposed to be his voice originally, which I find even more disturbing." Heimdall counter smoothly.

           "I was, but then I became a little hoarse." This horrible pun makes Heimdall start laughing his ass off. "So Heimy, still want to kill me?"

            "I'm not certain. I'm enjoying your current state immensely. Also, I could never harm a woman. My mothers taught me better." Yes, this upright honorable man raised by a lesbian orgy. Though he is the god who behaves the best towards women. Babe will give him that much. Maybe if she hadn't philandered quite so much, he might not hate her quite so much. But probably.

               "Not even to get the allfather back?" He wheedles, pulling on his mindless loyalty.

               "I'd accuse you of lying, but you seem to be asking me to kill you. So I'm very conflicted and  unsure as to what to think." He tilts his head, resting it on the hilt of his sword. 

              "You know, I'm no more truly a woman than I was a man. Besides, its your destiny, isn't it?"

              "At Ragnarok and I'd rather not end the world until they finish the Thor and Avengers movie franchises. " It stands to reason he'd have horrible tastes in Movies.

               "Oh, I hate those things. They get almost everything wrong. I wouldn't mind looking like Tom Hiddleston though. Rowr." Babe claws the air.

                "You are a much greater, less sympathetic asshole than in the movies. And their Loki seemed oddly more like Baldur. I especially like the intimation in The Avengers that you were tortured for years in the depths of space by murderous feinds." What an asshole.

              "You know, you won't be killing me exactly." Babe wheedles, " I really just need you to push me into the abyss one they empty me out and fill me with virtue." 

               "Push you into the abyss." Heimdall repeats.

              "Whether or not its fatal isnt entirely certain, just incredibly likely. Honestly you're the only person I can trust to do it who wouldn't be horrifically scarred and traumatized  by the experience.  Think of it as helping a lady on a quest, if the fact that I now have a vagina had turned you into too big of a pussy to murder me like you're supposed to."

               "The trusted others being Baldur's children?" Of course he just has to call them that.

                "MY children yes." She says between clenched teeth.

                "Very well. I will spare them this task. I know how absurdly fond of you they are." He nods solemnly. Yes because she raised them as her own and Baldurr never lifted a finger for them, even so much as acknowledging them. How unreasonable of them to prefer her.

               "Thank you." Is all she says though.

              "You can thank me by mending your ways should you by chance survive, trickster." He scolds, not meaning it on the slightest. Babe just rolls her eyes.

              "Yeah, I'll get right on that. Send me back to Helheim, would you?"

          

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoarse/horse
> 
> she's making a joke about the time she accidentally got pregnant with sleipnir while shapeshifting as Loki.


	42. The Battle of the Abyss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Babe prepares for the ritual, Sam tries to stop her, everything seems to go wrong.

         Sam is waiting for her when the bifrost returns her to neiflheim. And of course, he's standing out in the cold like an idiot who hadn't had his entire immune system destroyed and replaced not two months ago.

          "What are you doing?" Babe scolds him, taking his arm, and pulls him back inside the halls. "You'll get pnuemonia, or the flu and not that stupid little over glorified cold, the kills-half-the-population flu."

           "Did you get what you need?" He asks.

           "Sort of. It took a little convincing, but we can make the attempt at any time." She nods.

           "Do you remember what you promised to tell me when you came back?"

           "I love you?" She smiles at him winningly. He just gives her a look. "Yes I do." She sighs. "Have you talked to Krissy yet?"

          "Yes, I have. I don't think it was completely neccessary though. She won't do something so irresponsible again. Have you spoken to Harahel?"

           "No, not yet." She shakes her head. "I don't exactly have the right to say anything about abandoning your responsibilities though, do I?"

            "I think you do." He kisses the top of her head. "For the very reasons you think you don't."

            "Yes, because there's nothing like gross hypocracy to inspire the good behavior of others." She scoffs. Sam's sweet but a bit too optimistic at times.

           "It's called learning from your mistakes, Babe, and letting others learn from your mistakes. He'll listen to you because you understand."

            "Alright." She sighs, breaking away. "I'll go summon him down."

            "After we talk." He catches the back if her jacket. Dammit.

            "Right." She let him lead her back to their room, prodding her in front of him. She starts to pace a little as Sam closes the door behind them and sits down by the window. She has to tell him the truth of course, but not the whole truth or even enough to start the inevitable argument. It'll probably be impossible seeing as she sucks at partial truths. Not like Luci. He could convince you the sky is green simply by explaining why it is in fact blue.

            "The ritual?" Sam prods.

            "Right. The ritual. Well, we figured out why it didn't work. A couple reasons actually. First, he only completed half of it, the filling with virtue. He neglected the first, the emptying. Fill what's empty, empty what's full. The wines need to be fed to an empty vessel. Devoid of heart, mind, and soul. Or grace, for those of us without. And then there's the issue of why the tether broke." Babe sighs.

             "Not because of the faulty ritual?" Sam frowns, leaning forwards.

             "No. That would have just left him unable to bring Dean back. The best guess we can make from all the notes in the crypt, is that there was nothing outside the abyss that he loved more than what was inside. I think he reached Dean and when he did, the abyss claimed him. That or the pull was about equal. Dean Winchester versus all of creation..its not like we'd really have to guess what he'd choose. Not that Cassie didn't love you too." Babe reassures him. Sam just smiles at her.

          "They do have a more profound bond." He gives a conceding nod. "How do you empty a person?"

          "You remove their heart mind and soul, or grace if they have that instead. Lethe removes the memories, coacoa can  remove your emotional core, and its not too hard to remove a soul, though easier to remove grace, or use a being without a soul."

           "It doesn't sound like the sort of thing you can do more than once." Sam observes looking at her steadily.

           "You don't have to do it more than once. It's a net, not a fishing pole. It grabs everything." She averts her eyes from his penetrating stare.

           "I see." He's still looking at her with those big hazel eyes of his. "And who is going to be this net?" Fuck he always knows the right questions, too.

            "Not you." Babe looks him in the eyes. Sure enough his stubborn Winchester nature rears its ugly head. 

           "And why is that?" He challenges.

           "Because as faded as the glow of my fathers blessing is, its still there and will be there until you die, fucking up every supernatural thing anyone can do to you. That includes, ripping your heart out, stealing your memories and removing your soul. Or have you forgotten that double edged sword that condemned you to die a slow death of cancer."

           "Then we'll wait until I die and can be ressurrected and try it then." He insists, infuriting her to no end.

          "So you'll only agree to be brought back so you can sacrifice yourself again? Why don't you understand, Sam? You are the most wonderful precious thing in all creation and you don't just throw that the fuck away!" She yells and turns away from him, leaning on her arms against the table. Sam doesnt say anything, which is probably the best response she can hope for. "It wouldn't even work then, Sam. Because there's no one you love outside the abyss more than you love inside of it."

          "That's not true," he says softly, and she hear him rise from the matress and walk her way.

          "Don't kid a kidder, Sample size." Babe looks back at him, giving him a sad smile. "Nobody's more important to you than your brother. We both know you can't survive without at least knowing he's somewhere in the world, alive and well. You share a heaven, for dad's sake. You will always come first for each other. Always."

          "Do you really think I don't love you, Gabrielle?" He actually sounds hurt at the thought.

          "Ah, Sam. I know you do." She turns and puts a hand to his face. "How else could you put up with me? But be honest, if you ever had to choose between us..." she doesn't finish the question.

            "I..." Sam doesn't know what to say. The thought is too difficult. "Why would I have to?"

            "You don't."

            "It's not the same, Babe." Sam protests, "He's my brother, you're..." he doesnt even know what to call her.  

            "Sam." She takes hold of his face. "It's okay. I love you and I'll take you as you are, that includes your self esteem issues, crippling codependancy, supressed sexy dark side, that incredibly strange obsession with serial killers and your wonderfully freaky kinky side."

           "If I hadn't been such a stubborn fool and not waited until I was a withered husk of a man, you might have actually gotten to see that freaky kinky side you mentioned." Sam grins at her.

            "Really? Well, what the hell are we standing here talking for, big boy? Enlighten me."

 

            Babe stretches her arms above her head and opens her eyes. Sam's gone. And she's hand cuffed to the bedframe. Her insulin kit is of course beside her on Sam's pillow with beef jerky and a note.

             'Not you either.'

             "You damn Winchester!" She yells tugging on the cuffs. Who else can do it? Not one of the girls. No, He'd never let them. He'll probably try to do it himself anyway, the stubborn spoiled brat. Her hands are small, but not quite small enough to slip out. "Hello?" She calls. "Is anyone here? Dad dammit, someone come let me out!" Its oddly quiet. The convention can't be over yet. If she could just fold her hand in, but those stupid bones are in the way. Well, they are small and fragile, so fuck it. Babe picks up her kit and places her hand against the bars. Hopefully it wont break the box.

          "Don't be foolish." Yuri grabs the kit from her hand. "So you're not just dedicated to starving ravens. Good." He snaps the links between the cuffs. "Put sone clothes on. Thor's being a heroic simpleton."

           "What?" This grabs her attention.

           "Your boyfreind and my sister put out the call for a heroic sacrifice and since your blood brother is the only one who would be willing to risk dying in your place..." He tosses her clothes in her face.

         "That meat head!" Babe pulls them on and grabs her leg. "You'll have to physically stop him. Don't worry about there not being room, the edge of the abyss is enormous. At least just distract him until I can complete the ritual."

          "I assumed as much." He snaps. "Your girlfreinds are safely locked away in the study."

          "Good." Her boots are next but he doesn't seem to want to wait, and just grabs her like a sack of wheat taking off down the hall to the throne room.

         "Will you put me down!"

         "You're too slow." He snaps and carries her through the portal blocking off a corner, dropping her the second they're through. He almost immediately expands into a giant snake and lunges at Thor who's arguing with Heimdall with Sam unsuccessfully trying to mediate as Hel fills the cups with wine.

       "Nice try, Sam!" She snaps at him, going as fast as she can. "I ought to knock you into next month. And I woyld if I thought you'd still be alive there you fucking Winchester!"

          "Because I won't let you throw yourself into the abyss?" He replies.

           "Because you're sending my blood brother of over three thousand years in, you jackass!" She punches his arm.

         "He volunteered."

          "Whoopty fucking do! This is my task, Sam, my quest!" Babe pulls him out of the way as Yuri's tail almast takes his head off. "Jormungandr! Watch what you're doing! Just take him out of here before you both fall in."

         The snake opens his maw as wide as possible and engulfs the norseman before slithering back through the portal. 

         "I swore an oath to his father I would help protect him, Sam. From that very first war with the venir. I swore in blood and I keep my damn oaths no matter what they think. Do you understand me?" She grabs his shirt. 

          "I didn't know." Sam apologizes.

          "Well, now you do." She lets him go and runs her fingers back through her hair. "I have to do this Sam."

          "No, you don't."

          "I DO!" Babe pauses and takes a breathe to calm down. "And not just for you, not that I wouldn't. Castiel's not my only brother in there, Sam. Not that I wouldnt be willing to sacrifice myself for him either. There are thousands of them, thousands upon thousands of of my brothers and sisters lost to the abyss. Hundreds of fledgelings, but most of them dead at each others hands and who knows how many of them would still be alive if only I hadn't selfishly abandoned every single one of them."

          "You already sacrificed yourself, Gabrielle. You don't have to do it again." Sam pleads.

           "For humanity, sure. And yes, that is my ultimate job, but I'm an archangel Sam. I had more to look after than all of you. My siblings were my responsibility, too. They still are. I can't shove this off onto somebody else. You know this." She knows she's convinced from the look in his eyes.

          "I don't want to lose you too, Gabrielle."

          "Well then, you'd better hold on extra tight, Sampson." She reaches up to tug on his short regrowing tuffs of hair. He does, putting his arms around her, possibly for the last time.

          "You overprotective presumptuous bitch!" A wallet strikes Hel's thigh. She and Sam and Babe look back to see Krissy and Claire running down the mulberry, Alex close behind. "How dare you lock us up?"

          "We don't know what will happen, mon Claire. I wanted you out of harms way." Hel attempts to soothe her, picking up the wallet.

          "Don't 'mon Claire' me you wench. " She snatches it back. "You are not keeping me away from this.  Bree is our freind and if she's going to hurl herself into the abyss, we will be here to help haul her the fuck back in."

          "It was supposed to be Thor." Hel glares at Babe who is remarkably unmoved.

          "I aporeciate the thought, girls but you should leave. You don't have to be here for this and I'd rather have you out of harms way."

           "Stop acting like a Winchester, Bree." Krissy scolds her.

           "I am not!" Her genuinely offended tone irritates the hell out of Sam. Not that he doesn't understand what they're saying, but it still grates having his family name used as an insult to this degrre. "You take that back!"

           "It was supposed to be Thor. And father was supposed to be out of harms way as well." Hel frowns and mutters a few threats and insults towards her absurd brother.

           "You will do no such thing, young lady. You were going to have his lover sacrifice himself to the abyss. You will apologize to Yuri and hope I don't survive this, little girl because I ave some very strong words for you about this. Do you understand me?" Babe points her finger sternly at her abashed daughter and pulls away from Sam.

          "Wait, his what? Thor is our uncle!" Hel exclaims. Babe ignores her and turns to Claire.

           "Do you have the marker?"

           "Of course." Claire pulls out the sharpie as Babe removes her clothing. "Hey you found the plaid undies!" She snaps he waist band of Babe's bikini breifs.

           "Sam?" Alex and Krisy rush over to him as he wavers a bit and help sit gently on the ground. "Are you alright?"

            "I'm fine." He lies shamelessly. Babe hurries back to him, kneeling down beside him. "You don't have to do this right now."

           "Looks like I do Sam." She gives him a kiss. "I'd rather avoid Azrael if at all possible. I'm sorry. I love you, Sam."

           "I love you, too."

           "Here. It's cold." Alex takes off the oversized flannel shirt  she never returned and puts it around his shoulders, hugging him tightly as she does so.

            "Thank you." He pats her arm and just lets her hold on. Babe relictantly walks back over to Claire and lets her cover her with runes and sigils. "What are you doing?"

            "Insurance. These are every summoning sigil and spell I know. For added magnetism."

             "Will it help?"

             "It can't hurt," she shrugs and looks down. "Seriously, Claire?" Babe bursts out laughing. 

             "What?" Claire says innocently and draws the little smiles under Babes nipples turning her areolas inyo litle pig faces. "You gave me the marker woman. You knew the risks." But Babe's still laughing so hard she has to wait to do the rest of the sigils.               "Alright, miss Novak. You are officially my best freind of all time." Babe grins.

              "Don't hug me, you'll smudge!" Claire backs away, so Babe gooses her instead.

             "This is why I love humanity," Babe informs Heimdall who's just shaking his head as Hel tries not to laugh herself.  Claire puts the final sigil, the horn of Gabriel onto her back. "Hel? The butterfly?"

               "Fadir." Hel takes it out reluctantly. "Uncle is more than willing...."

               "Hela," Babe uses her dad voice, "This is not up for discussion."

              "Sam?" Alex's distressed cry captures her attention. Babe looks back to see him slumped against the girls, eyes closed.

             "No. No,no,no. Not yet." Babe rushes to his side. "Just a few more minutes, Sam, please."

             "I'm sorry, Gabriel." Babe turns around to see Azrael standing before them. "But his time is up." Claire and Hel quickly join them, Hela positioning herself in front of Sam's shade.

             "Sariel, please. Just leave hin for a few more minutes. Just long enough for me to try."Babe begs.

             "Nothing is keeping you from your attempt once I've reaped him. Sam, come with me. No one else has to die today." Azrael holds out her hand. Hela reaches out and grabs him so he can't do it, earning a glare from her Aunt.

             "Don't you want your husband back?"

              "Death? Of course." She sighs, "But I won't betray his values to do it."

              "Oh, bullshit. He indulged them over and over, you know what he'd do, you're just being a petty vengeful brat and you know it." Babe snaps.

                "Azrael, Auntie," Hela steops forwards. "Sam Winchester belongs to me.  Have a contract. You have no claim on his soul." Her assertion just makes the angel laugh.

                "You think your little pagan agreements have any real validity? All of creation belongs to our father and it is at his whim alone that you are allowed to keep any souls at all. He and uncle may have indulged your claims but don't think for a second that I could not take claim over every soul in Neflheim and not be full within my rights to do so. The Winchester will no longer be meddling with the workings of existence and neither will any others on their behalf."

       "Maybe I didn't make myself clear, Azrael," Babe reaches into Claire's jacket, drawing out the angle blade. "You are not taking him. Or, in words you'll understand a little bit better. 'Meow'." She mews. Azrael's eyes narrow and she takes out her own blade.

           "Very well, sister." The angel of death strikes, but Babe almost effortlessly parries the blow and barrsls into her with all her force in just the right place to knock her off balance in surprise.

              "You're the most feared and fearsome angel there is, Azrael. But you are still just an angel." Babe taunts, drawing her away from the girls.

             "And you, sister, are nothing."

             Alex grabs the marker from Clair and scrawls a reaper trap around them as Hel sends out a wave of power in the sound of a battle horn, forcing the coming reapers to manifest and knocking them back at the same time. Dozens of Valkyrie swarm the abyss.

               Azrael bears down on Babe knocking her to the ground. Heimdall lifts his great swords and rushes at the Angel, but Azrael manifests Death's scythe and simultaneously strikes behind her and down at Babe. The scythe hits its mark, reaping the god from existence, but the distraction allows Babe to roll in towards her legs and slice through her legs at the knees, severing the vessels achilles tendons.

            Azrael manifests her wings even as the blows makes her drop the scythe in pain. The girls barely manage to close their eyes against the glare and turn away from it. But not before Krissy notices blood dripping from a gash in Babe's side.

            "Harahel! Help! Please. Bree's hurt and we need you!" She prays fervently. "He's coming. Close your eyes. Yes!" The girls do and Harahel takes over Krissy's vessel. Azrael does not seem impresssed.

            "Somebody give me a blade! I can banish them!" Alex cries as Claire throws herself at the nearest reaper, distracting him enough for the valkyrie to disarm him and slay him with his own blade. At her pronouncement, several reapers hurl their blades to slay her, but they're intercepted by  a large grey wolf who places himself in front of Alex. Unfortunatley he does so by eating them. "Oh for..."Alex grabs hold of the corner of his mouth as Harahel heals his injuries and draws her palm of her hand across his exposed fang, slicing it open much to his surpise.

            "Stay out of this Librarian!" Azrael warns. 

             "No." Harahel says tremulously and dashes to Babe to heal her injury as she fends off Azrael. Frustrated, Azrael slices the air behind Hara's back to sever her wings, slicing the skin off her shoulder blades in the proccess. Harahel's scream tears through the crowd making even the reapers pause in horror. 

           "You sadistic bitch!" Babe stabs upwards, but Azrael knocks the blade from her hand with her wing, pinning her prosthetic to the floor with her blade.  Claire drags Krissy's still, bleeding body back into the circle. Grace is slowly bleeding from the wound.

              "Alex, do it." The poor weak thing whispers as Azrael extends her hand to smite Babe. In the second before Alex can complete the sigil, Babe twists to grab the scythe as it slides near her and expertly embeds it in the angel's chest. In that second the sigils blinding light banishes each angel and reaper to the four corners. 

            "Fuck!" Babe rests her head back on the ground. "Thanks, Sam." She forces a smile. His shade flickers above her, putting a hand to her cheek.

             "Olive juice, Babe."

             "Olive juice, toots." She puts a hand to her side to check the injury Hara was attempting to heal. Its still bleeding. "Fuck."

           

         


	43. Carry On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Heimdall dead, Babe injured, Sam a ghost, and krissy and Harahel missing, our wayward daughters must help complete the ritual and fill the empty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you not as old as dirt, Babe meowing at Azrael was a Smurfs joke. Azrael is Gargamel's cat. (There's a reason she changed her name to Billy and not just a desire for anonymity.) Bonus points if you actually got that ridiculously obscure reference. 
> 
> Xolotl (Xolly to his freind) is among other unpleasant designations, the Aztec god of misfortune. Huehue Coyotl was his best and only freind. The fact that almost all of the old coyotes pranks ended up badly for said trickster himself, were surely unrelated to this fact. 
> 
> Fun fact the aztec religion started up right about when christianity moved into scandenavia and huehue coyotl did not exist in earlier related pantheons. It ended in the early 1500's when christianity came over. 
> 
> Clearly Gabriel got the hell out of dodge as soon as his family got too close, going to the other side of the planet, and ended up going back to his Loki persona once the Aztec empire fell. Nobody liked the Aztecs; they murdered pretty much everybody.

          "Nothing ever goes right for you, does it, you old coyote?" Coacoa's grinning face looks down at Babe as she lays flat on the ground. 

          "What can I say? Murphy's law is the only one I can't seem to evade." She comments. "Though without Xolly here you'd think things wouldn't go so badly." Babe sighs. "A little help?"

          "I only have enough energy to spare to claim your heart, my darling." He demures. Babe rolls her eyes and lifts her bloody hand from her side, holding it out to him.

          "Knock yourself out." The air around them grows ice cold as Quetzalcoatl deliberately licks it off as erotically as possible. "Settle down, Sam. He's just provoking you."

          "Hey!" Claire exclaims at the scene, getting to her feet.

          "It's alright, aiskling, he'll heal her." 

          "Sam. Go back to the girls, they'll need you near when the reapers come back." Babe instructs him as the Aztec moves down to consume the blood from her side. "Hey! Knock it off." She smacks Coacoa's hand as it gets a bit too freindly with a little piggy. When he's licked off the blood, the wound is closed and he helps her remove  the mangled prosthetic and get to her foot. "The insurance company is never going to believe this." She sighs looking at it. Though reporting the claim truthfully would probably be amusing as hell.

        "Not bad, Kid." Brunhilde smacks Claire's back. Claire stumbles over to Alex and half falls over as her knee gives out. 

        "Nice spell work." She says sitting back to back with her. 

        "Yeah, well, I just hope I don't start turning into a wolf now." Alex looks at her hand. "Being a vampire was bad enough." Rhys just snorts and rolls his eyes staying protectively in front of the girls. 

          "Wait, what?" Hildr pauses looking at the girl a moment before Hrist calls her away. 

          "The reapers will be back shortly. Girls, form a protective circle around the humans and Sam's ghost." Hela instructs, picking up Death's scythe and placing it in her belt. "Rhys, thank you." She gives her little brother a hug and kiss on the cheek.

         "Thank you, son," Babe smiles at him proudly. The wolf sits down and gives them both large soulful golden puppy eyes and whimpers as Alex reaches over absent mindedly to pet his flank. "No." Babe says firmly.

          "Don't even think about it." Hela smacks his nose. He snaps at her and lies down in a huff looking away. The valkyrie with the dented helmet says something in scandanavian with a flirty wink and a smile that gets a huge wolfy grin from him, and his gaze follows her to her place in the circle.

          "Do you have the tether?" Babe asks hopping over to the platform on Quetzalcoatl's arm.

          "Of course. I tripled the width and length when making it." Hel walks over to the last wine and retrieves the rope from behind it. "I also added an external layer of spider silk. Well, I called in a favor from Hecate who called in a favor from Anansi." Hel starts to bind Babe, forming a complex harness out of it, looping each limb and torso.

         "Been studying kinbaku I see." Babe comments.

         "Not an art I expected to use on my father, but yes." She ties the final knot and kisses Babe's cheek. "You're not slipping out of this."

          "Did you remember the lethe?" 

          "Of course I have the lethe. I'm not a child, fadir." Hel snaps.

          "I know but this may be my last chance to be an annoying overbearing micromanaging parent."

          "It's one of those chances meant to be passed up on, fadir." She brings the rope over to where Sam's ghost is standing in the circle of valkyrie. "Alright, Sam. I'll have to touch your soul, but I'm not taking power, I'm putting it in so you can manifest more easily. It will hurt," she informs him apologetically before thrusting her fist into the center of his shade, her illusion falling with the effort. He focuses into being, teeth clenched in pain, gasping for illusory breath when she lets go. "Do not let go of this." She hands him the rope. He nods and attempts to secure it around himself as he did for Castiel, but only his hands will catch hold.

           "Claire." Babe looks to her. "I'm sorry, but Heimdall was supposed to push me into the abyss..."  she lets the question go unasked, though from the look in Claire's eyes, she knows regardless.

            "Gotcha," Claire says after a moment. "Just... my knee... give me a moment." She slowly gets to her feet. Quetzalcoatl walks over to her and heals her knee. "Thanks." Hel just looks at her as she walks up to Babe and holds onto her freind's arm to support her.

           "Alright, Coacoa." Babe braces herself.

           "It's been fun, coyotl." He places a hand between her breasts and starts to chant, digging his fingers into her flesh, slowly pushing the palm away. The motion appears to suction out a large clear crystal heart from her being. As soon as its completely extracted he vanishes.

           "What?" Claire exclaims, "Where the fuck does he think he's going with that?"

           "Its his payment." Babe says, her voice flat and empty. "He gets to keep it safe until Sam can go claim it."

           "What?"

           "If Sam isn't alive to claim it, I believed I would have no use for it. Give me the lethe." Babe holds out her hand. Hel unscrews the cap and hands it over. "I have countless memories, Hela. Are you prepared to receive them."

            "I'm as prepared as I'll ever be." Hel replies, her voice trembling so slightly only Claire notices.  Babe drinks from the flask, frowning as it unexpectedly tastes like watered down gingerale.

            "Everything." She says and a thick mist spreads from her mouth filling the air around them. A few droplets start to fall, like rain, but when a tendril makes it's way out over the abyss, the entire remaining fog is sucked into the empty. When the mist clears, Babe is standing there, the flask still held to her lips, her eyes blank, expression flat, only moving to swallow when one last drop falls into her mouth.

           "Fadir?" There's no response. Hel gently takes the flask away and eases her hand back down to her side, just staring at the empty vessel.

            "Right to left." Sam calls. "Drink right to left."

            "Right, thank you." Hel takes the right most cup, Patiencia and holds it carefully to Babe's lips, tilting it slowly. The vessel swallows automatically, eventually draining the cup. Next is Castitas, Temperencia, Humilitas, Industria, Benevolecia, but at Caritas Hel falters, unable to make herself continue.

            "Hela." Claire says softly, touching her arm and smiles at her, before placing her hand on the cup along side Hel's. Together, they place the last wine to her lips and the last virtue is consumed. "You don't have to watch." Claire looks to Hel who just smiles sadly at her and takes hold of Babe's other arm.

            "You don't have to do it alone."

            "Hel..."

            "Please... I don't want to resent you." She pleads. Claire nods and the two lift the motionless vessel, bringing her to the edge. "I love you, fadir." Hel kisses her cheek. "Come back to me."

          "See you soon." Claire whispers and the both push the vessel over the edge.

  

           Much to Krissy's surprise, being banished hurts like a motherfucker. Like belly flopping onto what you thought was water but was really a sheet of glass, but instead of the glass shattering on impact, you do. She goes to move, but searing pain shoots through the back of her shoulders.

           "Hara?" She calls for the angel. Where did he go? "Harahel?" Rain starts to fall, making her wince as ridiculously large drops strike her raw bleeding back and shoulders. Everything is so green and thick and dark. "Hara, please, answer me."

            'Here, I'm still here.' Its the faintest of echoes in her mind.

            "Are you alright?"

            'No.'

            "Will you be?"

            'I don't know. I don't think so.'

            "My back... I can't..." Krissy attempts to move again and almost passes out as something snaps.

             'Pray'

             "Okay... okay..." Krissy tries to think, "Zu...Zuriel? Amitiel? Help... help him. Help us." There's a bright glow and though she can still hear the rain, it stops falling on her. There's a sharp gasp and hands place themselves on her raw shoulder blades, reknitting the flesh and tendons over the exposed bone. It takes most of the pain away though without it, she can feel the cold chill of the air made worse by being soaked through.

         "You." She's roughly turned over, hands grabbing her collar. Zuriel pulls her up to her feet. "What have you done? Where is Harahel?"

          "Zuri!" Amitiel takes hold of Krissy, gently extracting her from Zuriel's grasp.

          "He's still inside." Krissy slowly moves her arms. Nothing else is injured but she still feels pain. "I think she cut off his wings."

           "Who?" Zuriel's voice is so deadly Krissy is almost afraid to respond.

            "Azrael."

            "Hara, come out honey." Amitiel coaxes. "Pash, t bolape Miti od Zuri."

            "Amitiel he can't." Zuriel sighs. " he's too badly hurt. Alright woman, start talking. What have you gotten him mixed up in now?"

            "C-can we g-get out of the rain?" Krissy's teeth chatter. "B-back t-to helheim. T-t-to Gabrielle."

            "Yes." Amitiel says firmly giving Zuriel a hard look and carries Krissy to the throne room. Two norsemen are arguing in the corner. The redhead looks rather disgusting as if something ate him whole and then vomited him back up again.

            "Yuri! Thor! The reapers attacked. Bree's been injured and they'll be back any minute." Krissy points to the portal in the corner. The two nods and rush inside.

          "Gabriel's hurt?" Zuriel exclaims.

          "She was fighting Azrael. Harahel tried to heal her." Krissy explains. Zuriel rushes into the portal after the two.

          "Please, stay here. Don't move, just let her heal." Amitiel pleads and follows after him. Krissy nods and sits down on some cushions in the corner.

          "Hara? Can we talk? Can I see you? Is there anything I can do?" Krissy asks.

          'Can you come hold me?' Is the pitiful reply. Krissy closes her eyes and tries to draw inside herself like before. Without Hara's help it's almost impossible. She can't quite picture the little library, all she can think of is Harahel. In the dark she can see him, curled in a ball on the floor, his wings nothing but stumps, light slowly draining from them and the injuries to his back similar to Krissy's own. It's an effort but she pulls at the image until it holds out a hand and drags her back down beside him.

           "I'm here." Krissy embraces the trembling form. "What's that light?"

           "I'm bleeding grace." He says weakly. "Its why I'm so dim. Its not bleeding as quickly as it was, but Krissy, you have to cast me out.'

           "Not a fucking chance."

            "Im too weak to leave on my own. If I die, you will too.'

             "I said not a chance, think of something helpful I can do. Can... can you use my soul to help heal?"

            "No. I don't know how. I hurt too much to try." He sounds so defeated it pisses Krissy off.

            "Come on, it can't be that hopeless. Gadreel healed himself and Sam both when he was inside him."

            "Yes, well, a human doctor once removed his own appendix without anaesthetic. Does that mean you can too? You only know the greatest of us and I'm probably the least. I'm just a librarian, Krissy.  I can't do those kinds of miracles." He sounds so distressed that Krissy instantly feels bad. "I'm sorry, just... cast me out."

           "No. I'm sorry. Its okay." Krissy soothes him, stroking his head as it rests in her lap.

            "Gadreel was probably lying anyway. If he was really that hurt, he couldn't have healed Sam at all." Hara says petulantly. "And it isn't okay. I don't want to take you with me. I'm so sorry, Krissy."

            "No, I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have called for you or courted you or gotten you involved in this. Especially not against the reapers and the goddamned angel of death." Krissy tries not to let her voice crack.

             "She should be, that... bully." Harahel pouts. It takes Krissy a second to know what he means."I didn't have to come. I wanted to. I was just so very tired of being alone."

              "I hear you. What about Amitiel though? And Zuriel? Aren't you close? You seem close."

               "No. Amitiel mostly just pines for Zachariah and stays away from people because of all the lies that even they don't know they're telling. She only started coming out when Castiel started telling stories in the garden. Zuriel didn't even remember I was still alive until I started to leave the library these past few months to help Castiel.  He's very angry with him, you know. I think he only cares now so he'll have more reasons to be mad at him. Besides I'm very easy to overlook in general.

          "But you didn't. You wanted me, you called for me. Even if the first time was a mistake, every other time wasn't. It wasnt even about libraries, it was about me. Just me. Maybe you thought I'd be a better angel than I was but even when you saw I wasn't, you still wanted me. If I had a chance I'd do it all over again just the same. 

           "Well, I mean, except for running away from Claire in Hades and leaving you behind. Even if she is almost as scary as Dean Winchester I should have at least taken you with me. And I probably shouldn't have just run right in between Gabriel and Azrael like that. That was incredibly stupid. I don't think I'd have thrown my blade in the ocean all those Days ago either. Not that I know how to use it. I should have learned.

             "Actually I don't think I'd have done anything the same at all except answering you every time you called." Harahel heaves a sigh, that one motion dimming him of half his remaining light. "I'm sorry I wasn't a better angel. I'm sorry I didn't get to teach you enochian."

             "I'm sorry I wasn't a better hunter." Krissy kisses his head. "Anyway, I think you're a wonderful angel. You're not perfect but at least your flaws don't involve being a controlling self-centered self-righteous dick, and I wouldn't want any other angel inside me. Ever." Harahel raises himself up and brushes his cheek softly against Krissy's before slumping back down.

            "Ol iaid lap en gran esiasacahe." Hara says weakly. "Oi iaid lap en gran Raphael." Its fairly easy for Krissy to guess what he's saying.

            "I know," Krissy holds onto him tightly. "But I'm here, and I won't leave you alone."

              When the last of his grace bleeds out, he collapses in on himself, pulling everything in around him like an undertow dragging it all down into the crushing depths.

             

              Nothing happens. The tether doesn't grow taut or break or even move again. Babe just dissapears into nothing. Claire picks up the rope and gives it a little tug but it has no give.  Hel just stares into the empty, a sinking feeling deep inside her that she just helped murder her own father and for no real purpose. Just when she had him back.

              "Girls, move back." Sam instructs them, interrupting Hel's angst with breif annoyance at the diminuative address. All of a sudden a bright light, brighter than anything they've ever seen yet neither blinding nor painful, illuminates everything and the tether pulls itself tight, knocking Claire off balance. Hel quickly grabs her jacket and pulls her lover to her as hard as she can, sending them both tumbling, but away from the abyss.

          "Are you alright?" She asks as Claire clings to her, their hearts both beating wildly at the scare. Claire nods her lips slightly open, just begging to be kissed.    

              "Its slipping!" Sam's call stops them from completing the request. Hel and Claire get to their feet, grabbing hold of the tether, pulling on it as hard as they can as Alex and Rhys take hold, but no matter how hard they pull they can feel thenselves being slowly pulled into the empty.

              "Valkyrie! Draga!" Hel commands, though she hardly had to ask. Half the valkyrie taking hold before she even speaks.  But it doesn't matter, the drag reduces from inches to centimeters but they're being pulled just the same. 

          "Ahh damn it!" Claire cries out. "Fuck it fine! I'll host an angel! Any angel at all! Yes to literally fucking anyone! Just help us! We're losing Gabrielle!"  She cries to the heavens.  The blinding light of angelic grace starts to approach.

         "Close your eyes!" Sam instructs just before it crashes into Claire making her loose her grip momentarily. Thor grabs the trailing tether behind Sam followed by Jormungandr and the pull towards the edge finally stops. It's not until two more people, a man and a woman take hold behind them that the balance finally shifts. The resistance suddenly ends, sending everyone falling back onto each other in a heap.

          Everyone except Sam who can no longer remain corporeal. He sees a breif flash of a brilliant complex world as it crashes into the side of the abyss, shaking all of existence. The glimpse ends when a heap of tether passes through, falling to the edge.

          Sam makes his way to the rope just as Hel gets to her feet and lifts it, revealing the harness, unharmed, perfectly intact and perfectly empty. 

               

........TO BE CONTINUED (In The Children of Men)

 

 

 

       

        

         

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinbaku- the japanese art of erotic bondage
> 
> Pash, t bolape Miti od Zuri-(enochian)  
> Child, it is Miti and Zuriel,
> 
> Ol iaid lap en gran esiasacahe- (enochian) I want my big brother.  
> Direct translation- I long for my elder brother.


	44. Acknowledgements and Notes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post season notes and acknowledgements. Breif summary of season 13 (yes I am renewing) ;)

      Thanks to Ameliacareful and ILostMyPenInMyHair and all of you who commented and kudosed and encouraged me during this. It is not by a long shot over. I'll keep writing and creating and expanding,(because we have no choice) but please keep commenting and reading. 

        Dont ever worry about annoying mr or repeating something someone else says or even asking questions if you're confused or something is unclear. I live for comments and feedback, it's like crack for me. Just one nice comment will take a bad day and make it fantastic.  And any criticism or questions will help me grow as a writer and improve the work for other reader.

          Credit to AmeliaCareful for Sam's 'Fuck cancer' beanie, letting me know about nueropathy as a side effect for chemo therapy and what a bad idea it is to go to an amusement park when you're on chemo. Also for Pluto changing his wine into grape juice. Him being cautious or a recovering alcoholic was a much better idea than Hel playing a little prank on him. So kudos to you and I hope you stay well and strong and cancer never rears its ugly head again.

       So the first chapter for season thirteen is already done but I REALLY need to pack. I will, I mean it this time.... really. With Dean and Castiel still trapped in the abyss, Harahel dead, Babe gone, Krissy's fate unknown and Sam still dead and alone, we have alot of ground to cover. How will the reapers take Azrael's death? What's in the abyss? How will the angels react to loosing Gabriel yet again? Who's inside Claire?  

           I promise I will answer these questions and more in the next fic. With more Pagans, many more wayward daughters and maybe the return of Heaven's first daughter, Michael (Mi-kay-el), though that might have to wait for season 14, I'm not sure. If not the season will end with a wedding. If it does season 14 will.

      Thoughts? Anyone from this fic you definitely want to see again? Burning questions I've left unasked? Other loose ends left untied? Please let me know. I hate continuity errors.

          

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ps. Please share this with anybody and everybody. I'd really appreciate it.


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